The Life I Loved
by KatherineLynn
Summary: Hermione saves Draco at a battle, and suddenly, he's stuck in her head. He's in her dreams, in her classes, and happens to be sleeping only a room away. After all, people in stressful situations often fall in love. Draco/Hermione, Ginny/Blaise.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Yeah, yeah, why am I starting a new story when I already have one underway? In short, I just thought of this storyline, and I really like it, and I would like to extend my gratitude to Harry Potter and the Fight for Malfoy Empire, because that story really inspired me. It's a fantastic story, anyone who is looking for another story to read (after mine, of course) should go and read that one. There are already 25 chapters up and its 25 chapters of genius.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Apparently, wishing on a star doesn't get you people. I wished for Malfoy, and that jacked up star gave me NOTHING!

Chapter One: Blood, Lupin, and Beauty

"Get down, NOW!" Hermione screamed to Ron, who immediately ducked, sending a jet of green light into a Death Eater attempting to sneak up behind him. He glanced at Hermione and sent her a quick nod of thanks before leaping back up and sending a Stunning spell at Bellatrix, who dodged it, and focused again on Tonks.

Hermione looked around, searching for the rest of her school friends. Harry was battling Alecto Carrow, who was putting up an annoyingly good fight. Ron was attempting to stay out of sight and sneakily take down as many Death Eaters as possible. Neville was helping Luna up, where she spat blood onto the floor. Ginny was fighting with a masked figure that looked like Lucius Malfoy, judging by the long platinum hair flowing out from behind his mask.

Fred and George Weasley were both battling Thicknesse, who was backed up into a wall already. Lupin was fighting his way to Tonks, and everyone else was out of Hermione's line of sight, or already down. She pushed the last thought from her mind as she stood up and brushed herself off. Suddenly, she was hit from behind and fell hard. She shook her head and turned, coming face to face with Pansy Parkinson.

How on earth the girl managed to make it here and this far without getting killed was beyond Hermione. She shook her head and stood up, only to be seized quickly by Pansy, who turned her around and pressed her wand to her neck.

"You know if I kill you I can finally get my Mark?" she said quietly, dangerously, in Hermione's ear. Hermione shivered involuntarily, knowing that while the girl wasn't a totally competent witch, she would do anything for that tattoo. She wrenched herself out of her grasp and backed up, looking for her fallen wand. She spotted it by Pansy's foot, and leaned down to get it, only to be stopped by Pansy's fist, which scrabbled at her shirt front again.

She kicked the girl in the knee, and when she cursed in pain, leaped for her wand and Stunned her. She fell to the floor with a loud thud, and Hermione ran off, leaving her to be trampled by the rest of the Order and Death Eaters.

She looked around for a Death Eater without someone to fight, only to see a spot of platinum from the corner of her eye. Brilliant, Draco Malfoy. If she could get him, there would be praises from all of Gryffindor when they went back to school.

She knew basing her attack strategy on popularity was shallow and stupid at best, but Hermione shrugged it off. She had been looking for a reason to attack the blonde boy for years, and this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

But when she got to Malfoy, she saw he was already occupied and fighting for his life. She wished she could discern the Order member, but the darkness of the room had cast shadows on the man's face.

The man was curious. He moved to attack Malfoy with his bare hands instead of a wand. Malfoy pushed himself back into the wall and fell. Hermione jumped behind a pillar and watched, careful to watch for other Death Eaters who could be attempting to be sneaky. The man used oddly feral hands to rip Malfoy up from the ground and slashed him across the stomach, sending dark liquid flying. Hermione flinched and bit her lip to keep herself from calling out. Malfoy was jerked closer to the mans face, and he pulled Malfoy's head back, exposing his long, elegant neck.

Then he moved into the light, and she gasped. Malfoy was fighting for his life against his own side. Fenrir Greyback was attempting, with all his might, to bite Malfoy's neck, his jaws snapping in a primal manner. Malfoy finally brought his wand out and gasped out a Shield charm, keeping the werewolf at bay, but there was no telling how long his strength would hold.

Hermione screeched to a stop in a flurry of robes. She quickly shed them, knowing if Greyback got a hold of her clothing, she would be dead or worse. She held out her wand and thought with all her might. Finally, Greyback stiffened, and fell backwards.

She stood in silence, debating. Did she want to extend a hand of friendship and help her adolescent enemy? No, she really didn't. But she didn't want to see him die because he was hated by both sides. No one deserved to have their own friends (well, she didn't know if Fenrir ever had any friends) attack them and try to kill them. Finally, she moved out of her shadow. "Come on, Malfoy," she said, holding out a hand to help him up.

He stared at her like he didn't really recognize her, and Hermione wondered if he was in shock. Then he shook his head, his blonde hair falling into his grey eyes. "No way Granger. I know your side would like nothing better than to kill me."

She rolled her eyes and looked around, hoping no one would notice she wasn't fighting, and doubly hoped no one would notice that she was talking to a known Death Eater. "You're hurt, and your own side is after you. Let's go. You value your life don't you?"

He stared at her like he had never seen anything quite like her. "Why?"

"I have this stupid instinct where hurt people make me feel bad, so I try to help them. Even when my better judgment tells me to curse them," she raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to die?" she asked plaintively.

Malfoy stared at her. His mouth opened, but no sound came out.

"Come on Malfoy," Hermione mocked. "Surely you're smart enough to SPEAK."

Malfoy finally found his voice. The horrified look on his face was enough to scare Hermione. "Get down, Granger. Now."

She froze. Malfoy got up. "NOW!" he bellowed.

He grabbed her arm and yanked her to the wall, where she hit her head. She blinked the stars out of her eyes and reached for her wand. Malfoy jerked his head in the direction of the door, and Hermione sprinted out, followed closely by Malfoy. His panting was a lot more labored than hers, and she glanced back to make sure he was still with her.

He was leaning against the wall, one hand on his side, the other on his knee. She ran up to him, and he pushed her away. "The werewolf is coming. If he kills two people, he'll be insufferable. Go."

"Well you won't really care if your dead, now will you?" Hermione asked. "Let me see."

Malfoy stood up straight and brushed his robes off. "See what?" He tried to brush his bloody hand off onto his robes without her seeing.

"Merlin!" she said, exasperated. "This is your house, Malfoy, take us somewhere secluded, where no one can find us."

"Going to have your naughty way with me, Granger?" Malfoy said, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't make me vomit."

"That hurts. All little Mudbloods want a Malfoy," he said, raising a hand to his now calm heart. "It's like a fairy tale," he said, raising his voice into a falsetto.

"Shut the hell up and go," she ordered, ignoring him.

He strode purposefully down the hallway, and Hermione had to marvel at the confidence of his stride. Even injured, he walked like he was the king of mankind. Which he probably thought he was, Hermione thought bitterly. His robes billowed out behind him, and even in his tattered and bloodied clothing, he looked like an aristocrat.

Stupid pureblood.

He led her down a labyrinth of hallways, all twisting and turning and false doors that reminded Hermione of Hogwarts, when he led her through a door into a bedroom.

The walls were covered in black and blue and silver tapestries, all depicting medival pictures of dragons, knights in armor, and castles. The bed itself was fitted in black silk, a shining huge four poster in the middle of the room. Couches were off in the corner next to a wall made entirely of bookcases. There were two doors on the opposite side of the room, presumably to a closet and bathroom.

"Whose room is this?" she asked in a hushed tone.

"Mine, of course," he said. She turned to him just as he dropped his robe onto the floor.

She couldn't help but stare at the clothing he had left. His jeans were torn at the knees and all the way to the bottom, making him look like a homeless person at best. His shirt was in complete disarray; it looked like he had put it on backwards and tried to put it through a Muggle paper shredder. In the midst of it all, Hermione could make out a horrific gash on his chest and side, and the nicest set of abs she had ever seen.

Not that she had seen that many to begin with.

He cleared his throat at her, and she flushed, realizing that she'd been staring. He smirked at her, and she resisted the urge to slap the smug look right off his face.

"Are you going to fix me up, or what?" he asked.

"I'm surprised you couldn't do that yourself, ferret," she snapped back.

He crossed his arms over his chest, then flinched and dropped them back to his side. "In case you haven't noticed, Granger, I happen to be without a wand."

Her chocolate eyes immediately jumped down to his hands where, indeed, there was no wand. She rolled her eyes and looked back up at Malfoy's face, then frowned. His normally alabaster face was waxy, and his eyes were heavy lidded.

"Malfoy?" she asked softly. He didn't answer, but a small, wet sound greeted her when silence attempted to. She looked down, and squeaked. There was blood dripping from his jeans and shirt, making a small puddle on the marble floor.

Almost immediately, Malfoy started to fall. She ran to catch him so he at least wouldn't have a cracked skull to add to his injuries when she slipped and fell into his now growing pile of blood in a heap. Malfoy's inert body ended up halfway on top of her, and his lower half looked broken, where his legs were bent at odd angles.

Ignoring the sticky substance under her hands and shoes, Hermione pushed herself up and drug Malfoy far away from his nasty puddle. She ripped his shirt open to see all of his wounds, scarcely feeling guilty for his already destroyed expensive linen shirt. She waved her wand over the wounds, but nothing happened.

She tried all of the healing charms that she knew, but nothing was making the bleeding stop. She panicked, and tears started to fall down her cheeks and into the wounds. She jumped up and ran through one of the doors, and into a closet. She ran back out almost instantly, leaping over Malfoy to the other door, the bathroom. She grabbed a towel and wet it, wringing all excess water out before coming back.

She held the rag onto the gash, just like she had seen on Muggle television to stop the bleeding. Blood coursed around the rag and onto her hands, making her gag, but she strengthened her resolve.

She used one hand to conjure a Patronus and send it off with a message. Hopefully, a little Muggle knowledge would keep Malfoy alive until help arrived.

Minutes later, Lupin, looking very battle-worn, came through the door, panting a little, but otherwise intact. He took one look at Hermione, who still had tears coursing down her cheeks, and Malfoy on the floor, and ran to Hermione's side.

"How's everyone faring out there?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Do they need help?"

"You're fine where you are, Hermione," Lupin said, examining Malfoy's pallid face and ragged breathing. "He's just hanging on," he breathed.

"Please, tell me you know something," Hermione said, sounding hysterical. "Greyback slashed him, but he didn't bite him. I've tried everything I know, but nothing will stop the bleeding!"

She sobbed, then pulled herself together. Lupin motioned for her to move out of the way, and took her place. When he wasn't looking, Hermione wiped away her tears fiercely, ashamed that the boy she hated could make her cry like that. Slowly, he removed the blood soaked rag to examine the wound, before quickly placing it back again.

Seeing the damage from far away just made Hermione retch a little. The blood covered the floor now, and she realized she had it all over her bare legs and her tissue thin white t-shirt. She sobbed anew. Something about seeing Malfoy on the floor, vulnerable and injured, made her heart go out to him involuntarily. While he was infuriating and exasperating and prejudiced and annoying, he was hurt, and Hermione was determined to see him get better. Not die.

"Werewolf wounds tend to be resistant to any sort of magical healing. Luckily, I know how to do stitches. This doesn't seem to have made it to any muscle to cause permanent damage, he's just lost a lot of blood. But if I can sew him up quickly, he should live."

Hermione didn't like the "if" and "should" but she quickly conjured up a Muggle medical set. Lupin nodded his agreement and started digging though it.

"Can you get me another rag Hermione?" he asked kindly. "This one is a little…bloodied."

Hermione nodded and sprinted to the bathroom, as if running would save Malfoy's life. She grabbed a new cloth, wrung out the excess water after she soaked it, and ran back to Lupin. She was astounded to see Malfoy awake, looking terrified, but keeping silent.

"What's going on?" he whispered, and Hermione shook a little. His voice was so weak.

"We're trying to fix you," she said quietly. She handed Lupin the cloth, and he handed her the bloodied one. Malfoy stared at the bloody towel, and his face paled even more. Hermione locked eyes with him for a second, then stared at the towel. She retched and ran into the bathroom and threw up. She cried, her arms around her head, for a few minutes, then dropped the towel into the sink, leaving it be for now.

When she returned to the bedroom, Malfoy was more alert, trying to see what Lupin was doing, but his face was still alarmingly pale, and his eyes kept going out of focus or rolling back into his head. He stared at her for a minute, and she tried a pathetic attempt at a smile. He closed his eyes for a second too long and Hermione ran to his side.

"Talk to me, Malfoy," she said adamantly. He just stared at her.

"If you fall asleep again, I'm not so sure you will wake up. Just talk to me," she pleaded.

"Why are you helping me?" he asked, looking genuinely curious. She felt like smacking him. That's not what she wanted him to talk about, but if he was talking, that meant he was awake and still alive. That was all she could really hope for.

"Honestly?"

"No, lie to me."

She flicked his nose. "Don't give me the sarcasm."

He looked affronted.

"Look," she said, not meeting his eyes. She found them distracting. "I can't stand just leaving someone behind, even if I don't particularly like them. You were attacked by your own side. I couldn't just leave you to die."

"Yes you could have," he insisted.

"I saved your life, Malfoy," she hissed. "Why are you making this difficult?"

He groaned. "I don't want to be in your debt! It would have been better if I had just died. Then I wouldn't have to deal with any of this war or power struggles, or any of the 'Chosen One' nonsense. I wouldn't have to wake up every day to –"

He stopped. Hermione, who had been watching Lupin work, just ignored him. "Keep going, Malfoy. Keep talking."

When no response came, Hermione looked down at him. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was slowing. "No!" she shrieked. "Don't you dare die!" she slapped his cheek, but his head just turned to the side. "Lupin!"

Lupin scooted up near his face and felt for a pulse in the boy's neck. "His pulse is there, but barely." She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wake up!" she said again, this time weaker. When nothing happened, she looked up at the ceiling, hoping her tears would stay in. They just fell from the corners of her eyes and wove their way all the way to her neck. She focused again on Malfoy's face, and wiped his cheek when one of her tears landed there. Nothing stirred him.

Almost an hour later, Lupin stood up and said he was finished. Malfoy's stomach looked like a rag doll's, and seeing it made Hermione gag again.

"Are you coming Hermione?" he asked, when he was by the door.

"Can you tell Ron and Harry that I'm taking care of one of the injured?" she asked. "Don't tell them who it is or where he is. They'll come drag me out of here."

Lupin stared at her curiously. "I have half a mind to do that myself," he said. "You know if his parents or any Death Eaters catch you in here, you'll be killed."

"I know," she said quietly. "But I'm not going anywhere until I know he's going to be fine. I refuse to leave and have him die on us."

"You are too kind-hearted for your own good, Miss Granger," Lupin said, ruffling her hair. "I'll put wards on the room, keeping anyone from coming in for a while. They'll just remember something else they were supposed to do when they put their hand on the doorknob."

She nodded, not taking her eyes off of Malfoy.

"Send me a Patronus if you need anything else," he said, and took his leave.

Hermione spent another five minutes staring at Malfoy as he lay on the floor. She studied the sharp planes of his cheekbones, nose, and chin. His eyelashes were so blonde they were almost transparent, but they were long and curled. His lips that were normally turned upward in a smirk were in a slight frown, and Hermione could see exactly how attractive he was. His lips were full and the palest pink, his skin the softest white.

He was beautiful.

Hermione stared, then started, horrified. She slapped her own face until the thought that Malfoy was beautiful left her mind. She wondered where she could have gotten that from.

A/N: I think this is the longest chapter I've ever done! Aren't you so proud? Well, you should be. Now review for me.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So it's the middle of summer, and I have almost nothing to do. In fact, I have almost a lot of things to do too. I have photo shoots scheduled, I have a benefit to go to, I have a workout regimen to keep up with, and a diet to attempt, and college to get ready for. And yet, here I am, writing another chapter of this story because I know some people really like it. So thanks for the reviews I got, and thanks in advance for the reviews I SHOULD get. =)

Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish it was. But alas. …moving on.

Chapter two: Letters, Mittens, and Truces.

Hermione Granger had never been more tired in her entire life. All those days she had stayed up until dawn to study for her OWLS, and all those nights she stayed up late with Ron and Harry to research Horcruxes didn't even compare to how she felt right now. She was physically and emotionally parched. She needed sleep, stat. And yet, she couldn't stop staring at the sleeping boy in front of her.

She was afraid if she moved away from his bedside, or if she fell asleep, she would wake up and find Draco Malfoy dead in his bed. So she stayed vigilant by his side, only moving when she went to wet a washcloth to put on his brow.

She felt like a nurse, a mother, or a lovesick girlfriend, hovering over Malfoy like that. But she didn't want him to die, damn it! Maybe it was the fact that he was a fellow student, or maybe it was the fact that she knew he hadn't asked for this, or maybe it was the fact that someone who was supposed to be his comrade almost killed him, but whatever the reason, she was not going to leave his side until he was awake and griping again.

"Granger…?" Malfoy moaned, lifting his hand to remove the washcloth. "What are you doing here?" He tried to sit up, but Hermione pushed his shoulders down, feeling a lot like Madam Pomfrey.

"Keeping you alive, you git," she replied. "Now lie down." He stared at her with his eyebrows raised for a second, then obliged. She removed the washcloth from her forehead and pulled the sheets down off his torso.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Checking your wounds," she shot back, somewhat bitingly. "Would you like to see them?"

Malfoy fell silent as she lifted the shirt she had placed on him while he was unconscious. The stitches were bloody and disgusting, and he retched in spite of himself. He reached down to touch them, but Hermione slapped his hand away.

"If you're planning on vomiting, let me know, so I can get you a bucket," she said, sounding stronger than she felt. Seeing Malfoy's face pale made her heart go out to him, until she wrenched it back angrily. She took the washcloth from the bedside table and dabbed gently at the gashes, making sure to keep Malfoy's hands from touching them. He watched her work in silence, studying the soft curve of her jaw line, her unruly hair, her freckled peppered across the bridge of her nose.

Finally he spoke. "Why do I look like a rag doll? Why couldn't I be sewn up with magic?" he asked.

"You were attacked by a werewolf," Hermione said. "Their wounds are resistant to magical healing. You have to heal the Muggle way, though that might disgust you."

Malfoy fell silent. "At least I'm alive," he said softly.

"Just barely," said a voice from the doorway. Hermione whipped around to see Remus Lupin, looking rather weary, standing by the door. She ran and threw herself into his embrace, thrilled to see a face that would have news.

"How is everyone?" she asked hurriedly. "Harry, Ron, everyone. Are they ok?"

Lupin laughed. "Everyone is ok, a little bruised up, but alive. That's more than I can say for your side, Mr. Malfoy," he said, rather sternly.

"I would rather not know how much I'm going to be tortured for being injured, if that's ok with you," Malfoy said dismissively. Lupin nodded, and Hermione fell into the background, contemplating what Malfoy had said.

Did he really get tortured for other people's mistakes? How did she not know about this? It seemed that Lupin already knew, since he just shrugged it off. She wondered if there was any way she could stop the torturing from continuing. But how? Would she just run into the room Voldemort was in and offer herself up for torture instead of everyone else? No one deserved that. Not even Malfoy.

Lupin straightened up. "I'll come back in about a week to check on you again, Mr. Malfoy. I put defensive charms and the like around your bedchamber so no one will know that you're injured or that Miss Granger has been here attending to you. Are you ok with that?"

"How long as she been attending to me?" Malfoy asked, his eyes flicking in the direction where Hermione was standing.

"For the past few days, while you were asleep. And it is her doing that you're still alive," Lupin said, smiling grimly. "If she hadn't stalled the bleeding, and hadn't sent a Patronus for me, you would surely not be lying here looking at me."

Hermione blushed a little from her perch against the wall, and Lupin turned to her. "Make sure he bathes daily and keep the wounds clean. It would probably be better if he didn't wear a shirt. You might have to stay here a little while longer. Is that ok, Mr. Malfoy?" He asked, turning to Malfoy, who was poking his stitches experimentally.

"Huh?"

"Is it ok if Hermione stays here a little while longer to look after you?" Lupin asked gently.

Hermione looked at the floor, her ears straining to hear anything that might be said.

"Well, I can't take care of this myself, can I?" Malfoy asked.

"I would advice against it."

"And I can barely get out of bed, right?"

"I would actually think you shouldn't be getting out of bed too much."

"And she saved my life?"

"Indeed."

"I guess."

Lupin nodded. He turned to Hermione. "All that I ask is that you write Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley. They're quite worried about you."

Hermione nodded, and Lupin walked out the door. Vaguely wondering how on earth Lupin was going to manage to get out of the house, she didn't realize Malfoy was calling her.

"Granger?!"

She jumped. "What?"

"Do you hate me?" he asked.

She was taken aback. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Well, for starters, you saved my life. Second, you've stayed here, tending to me for days. Third, you're wasting valuable time you could have with your friends to make sure I'm safe. I'm pretty sure I'm not your favorite person right now."

She smiled a little. "You're never my favorite person, Malfoy," she said lightly so he would know she was joking.

He just stared at her, beyond serious.

"Look Malfoy, I know you didn't ask to be injured, and I know you really didn't ask to be attacked by someone on your own side. So seriously, it doesn't matter if I hate you or not. This is about fairness, and you were unjustly hurt. That makes it my business. I'm not just going to stand around and let people get hurt just because of past prejudices. If I can put it behind me, I hope you can too."

Malfoy continued to stare. Hermione stared back, waiting for him to speak. When he didn't she huffed angrily.

"Come here," Malfoy said.

"What?"

"You hear me," he shot back. "Come here."

She walked to his bedside, where he reached out and touched her face. Hermione was shocked. Was Malfoy flirting with her? Why didn't she pull away? Why didn't she slap him?

"You had an eyelash on your face," he said, holding it up to her nose. She swatted his hand away and laughed.

"So?" she said. "Truce or what?"

Malfoy held out his hand. "It's the least I can do." They shook briefly, and Hermione pulled away first.

"You need to shower," she said.

"Do I smell or what?" Malfoy asked, sniffing himself.

"No, but Lupin said you need to shower, so you can stay clean and keep your stitches from getting infected."

Malfoy attempted to sit up. "So how are we going to accomplish this, Granger?" he frowned. "Unless this is a ploy so you can see me naked."

She punched him lightly. "Shut up."

"I have a few house elves that are loyal to me alone, that can help me shower," he said thoughtfully. "Unless, of course, you want to volunteer."

"Call your house elves."

Malfoy smirked. "Mittens," he said quietly. Hermione started laughing.

"What?" he asked, offended.

"Mittens?" she snorted.

"I was like two when I named her, ok?" Malfoy clarified, looking wounded. "I think it's pretty ingenious.

"Whatever you say, Genius Malfoy."

A loud crack signified the elf's appearance. Hermione gaped, however, that Mittens' outfit was the usual house elf attire, but she had small gloves covering her hands.

"What happened to her hands?" she asked, horrified.

"She was burned when she was young, when her other master's house burned down," Malfoy said. "Hence the name."

"How may I serve you, young master Malfoy?" Mittens asked, bowing low.

"I need help getting to the shower, Mittens," Malfoy said, rather kindly. "And could you please not tell Mother and Father that this young lady is here?" he asked.

Mittens turned to Hermione, and nodded, her ears flapping. "Hello Miss. I am Mittens," she said.

"I am Hermione Granger," she replied.

"Yeah yeah, it's a pleasure to meet everyone. Zonko!" he called.

Another house elf, this one looking generally less friendly, appeared.

"We need food." Malfoy said simply. "And not a word to anyone about anything here, understand?"

"But of course, Master."

Hermione watched as Mittens helped Malfoy up and followed him into the bathroom, where his pants turned into swimmers. When the door closed behind him, she turned to the desk in the far corner and took out a quill, ink, and parchment and wrote a quick letter to Ron and Harry.

Dear boys,

I'm tending to a few of the wounded from the skirmish a few days prior. I hear everyone is alive and battle worn, and if anything of dire importance comes up, just tell me where to go. Until then, I will be here, tending to the sick. There's one person that I'm helping that almost died from blood loss! You would think that a simple Killing curse would suffice, but no. He was covered in gashes, all over his chest and stomach. It was disgusting! So I'm taking care of him right now. Wish me luck.

Yours,

Hermione.

A/N: So this isn't a really long chapter, and for that I apologize. I would love to write more, but I have a workout session with my personal trainer in about ten minutes so…Review!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews! It means a lot to me knowing that I have readers who like my style and plot. I hope this plot is action packed enough for everyone, and I'm really excited about where this story is going to go. I'm hoping everyone isn't too out of character, but it's a Draco/Hermione story, it's bound to get a little weird. Bear with me, everyone, I'm going to try to make it work. Wish me luck!

Disclaimer: Though I entirely wish I could own all these people and the plot, I do not. It belongs to JKR, and I am merely a student of her amazing abilities.

Chapter Three: Nightmares and Mother Figures

Hermione finally fell asleep around three thirty the next morning, a book in her hands. Her hair served as a cushion as her neck bent at an awkward angle while she snored. After changing Malfoy's dressings, getting him dinner, putting him back into bed and convincing him to stay there, she was dead on her feet. She had yet to receive a letter back from Ron and Harry, and she didn't want to dwell on their silence, should she over analyze it.

She dreamed of Ron. They had been together only a few months, but it was love. It was blissful, amazing love. He was the only man for her. She smiled in her sleep as she thought through their memories together; going for walks in the hills behind the Burrow, stealing kisses over the cooking when Mrs. Weasley turned her back, and gentle teasing on their way to find Horcruxes. And suddenly, her smile fell. There was another character in her dreams now. One she didn't care to see.

Draco Malfoy.

He stood next to Ron, who ignored him, staring blissfully at Hermione. Next to Ron, Malfoy looked enigmatic and graceful and elegant, whereas Ron looked…clumsy.

Dream Hermione stood between the two boys, as if weighing her options. Ron was someone Hermione had known for a long time, and was comfortable with. Malfoy, on the other hand, was dark and dangerous. Ron pulled her to him and kissed her tenderly, and Hermione smiled.

Ron was The One.

And then Malfoy called out her name. Dream Hermione walked up to Dream Draco, who smirked down at her. Hearing her first name come from his lips was eerie, like seeing a picture of her favorite Muggle actor right in front of her eyes. It was unbelievable, and like a dream come true at the same time. She felt goose bumps erupt on her arms, and her stomach dipped.

Sleeping Hermione was mortified.

Dream Hermione reached out and placed her long fingers on Dream Draco's chest. She placed her palms flat against his chest and lowered them to the hem of his shirt, where she tugged the silky fabric. He obligingly lifted his shirt off and tossed it on the floor. Sleeping Hermione gasped. There were no stitches, no scars, just perfection. Dream Hermione purred. His chest was alabaster white, sculpted, and hard. Dream Hermione traced her fingers around the ridges in his abs while he traced her lips with his elegant finger.

Dream Hermione was buzzing, and Dream Draco was blushing. It was truly a sight to behold.

Sleeping Hermione was astonished with Dream Hermione's actions. She turned, looking for Ron, but he was nowhere to be found. Oddly, she didn't mind.

She watched, as though in an outer body experience, as Dream Draco leaned down and captured Dream Hermione's lips with his own. Dream Hermione shuddered and moaned, opening her mouth for better access.

Sleeping Hermione was disgusted with the way her dream had turned out. She closed her eyes and focused herself, intent on either coming out of this dream, or making her Dream self stop snogging Draco Malfoy. She ended up doing the latter. Or at least, she attempted the latter. The second she became aware of what was happening, she forgot everything else.

Merlin was Malfoy a good kisser. Well, in theory he was a good kisser. It's not like she would know. She removed her hands from his chest and ran them through his shaggy platinum hair, interlocking her fingers around his neck to better stay upright. His tongue explored her mouth and she ran her tongue over the smooth surface of his teeth. He moaned into her mouth and she shivered. She was just beginning to enjoy this.

And she awoke with a start.

Hermione had the decency to blush as she remembered her dream in vivid detail. Her stomach clenched and her heart thudded in her chest. She was just drifting off again when she realized what woke her.

Malfoy was thrashing about on his bed, tangled in his sheets helplessly. Hermione jumped up and ran to his bedside, holding his shoulders down, speaking soothing words, trying to calm him to no avail. He suddenly called out in his sleep.

"Mother!" he moaned softly, his voice sounding so dejected it brought tears to Hermione's eyes.

"Malfoy?" she asked uncertainly. She touched his face, and his hand snaked up and caught it, clenching it tightly as though it was a lifeline. His face was drenched in cold sweat and his eyes were moving about under his eyelids.

He was having a nightmare.

"Don't hurt her. I'll do whatever you want!" he called, louder this time. Hermione had to wrench her hands from his, and wiped them quickly on her pajamas that Lupin had brought her. She tapped Malfoy's cheeks softly with her hands; trying not to hurt him, just wake him up.

"Malfoy wake up!" she said, trying to drown out his voice.

He swung, almost catching Hermione in the face. Instead she flinched, and the blow merely glanced off her shoulder. She was shocked to discover that he was crying. Tears were steadily working their way out from under his closed eyelids down the sides of his angular face and into his hair.

Hermione wrapped an arm around Malfoy's shoulder, sat herself on the edge of his bed, and placed his head in her lap. She stroked his hair, much like she'd seen Pansy Parkinson do, and cooed softly at him.

"It's going to be ok Draco, calm down," she whispered. He screamed this time, loud, and Hermione realized quickly their mistake. She quickly sent Silencing charms around the entire room.

Malfoy was swinging again, and this time he caught Hermione full in the face. Instead of a punch, however, Hermione was scratched. Whatever was happening in his dream, he was fighting desperately. And Hermione wasn't entirely sure, but she would bet all her gold in Gringotts that he was fighting for his mother.

Well Malfoy certainly knew how to push her emotional buttons. First he was attacked by a comrade, then tortured unjustly, and now was having nightmares about having to fight for his mother's life. This time, Hermione wept openly, still cradling Malfoy's head in her lap, her tears intermingling with his on the planes of his cheekbones. Hermione reached up and gingerly touched the scratch on her face. She was bleeding.

She sighed. She had truly had enough of blood to last her a lifetime. But now was not the time to worry about her. She stroked Draco's cheek, trying to calm the sobbing boy. He looked like he was no older than ten, and he just needed his mother.

Or better yet, he just needed to wake up.

"Malfoy!" she said, loud this time.

He awoke with a start, and stared at her for a minute. He viciously wiped the tears off the sides of his face, and untangled himself from the bed sheet. He sat up, and Hermione stood and remained at his bedside.

"What happened?" he asked. "What happened to your face?"

"You scratched me," she replied, unable to put any malice behind her words. She was simply too exhausted.

Malfoy looked astonished. "I most certainly did not! I didn't touch you!"

"You had a nightmare." Malfoy stopped. "You were calling for your mum and screaming and crying and thrashing about. It sounded horrifying. I tried to calm you down and I became a casualty," Hermione attempted to smile, but Malfoy just stared at the floor.

"I called out for my mum?" he asked, quietly.

"Yeah," she replied. "It sounded like you were begging someone not to hurt her."

"That's because I was."

Hermione froze. "What?"

"It's nothing," Draco said, unbuttoning his shirt and peeling it off. Hermione had her back to him and didn't notice. Draco realized his mistake a little too late.

"So you really get tortured for not being useful enough?" she asked furiously. Draco opened his mouth to answer, but the question must have been intended as rhetorical, because Hermione didn't give him enough time to talk. "I can't believe someone could be that callous.

"As if it's your fault that someone shoots a curse you can't block or as if it's your fault you're fighting this god forsaken war! This is not anyone's fault and no one deserves to be punished for it! No one deserves to be terrorized because of a choice they made. No one deserves something like that. Especially if you did nothing wrong.

"But what's going to happen to Voldemort? Who's going to torture him? He's ruined countless lives and killed loads of people and he has had no punishment. No retribution has been issued. Where is the justice?!" She started pacing around the room like a caged animal.

"Uh, Granger?" Draco called out from the bed.

"Oh, how I wish I could get my hands on him. Or Fenrir Greyback, that piece of filth. If I could just get close enough to them, oh how they would hurt for doing this to people. They ruin lives for pleasure!"

"Granger!"

"I just can't stand it when people are hurt for no reason, or attacked-"

"Granger!"

"Just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's horrendous. It's…it's…" Hermione struggled to find a word that was horrible enough to describe what Voldemort was doing. She turned to Malfoy, and gasped.

He had popped a stitch. There was no other way to explain the amount of blood that was coming from a tiny opening in his chest. Hermione screamed, and Malfoy flinched.

"Granger! Call your werewolf buddy. Now!"

He had his shirt that Hermione had dropped covering the bloody spot, but the white linen was quickly turning red.

Hermione whipped out her wand and a shining silver otter shot out and disappeared. Malfoy, even though he was trying to stay conscious, had to admire her skills. He always had problems with a Patronus charm.

She quickly turned back to him and forced him to lie down. She busied herself around his torso so he wouldn't see the tears rolling fast down her cheeks. It only took a few minutes before Lupin came through the door.

"What happened?" he asked, sounding slightly out of breath.

"We're not sure, but he's bleeding again," Hermione said. She turned her eyes to Malfoy's chest and saw that his stitches hadn't broken, but were slowly disappearing. Something was making the stitches dissolve. She gasped, horrified, and called out for Lupin.

He ran to her side and cursed.

"Hermione, get me that Muggle doctor set you had last time. We're going to have to redo these," he said, saying a quick charm to disinfect his hands and Malfoy's wounds. Malfoy hissed and arched his back in pain.

Hermione stood a little in the background, trying to stop her eyes from letting tears fall. She wiped her face furiously, and flinched when the salt of her tears hit the scratch on her face. Malfoy searched her out and called her name.

"Granger."

She came to his side, trying to keep her tears at bay and trying even harder to stay on her feet. After tending to Malfoy day and night for four days now, she was ready to fall over.

"What do you need, Malfoy?" she asked.

"I need you to sit down before you pass out," he said, sounding disdainful.

She ignored him like he hadn't said anything. For some reason, leaving his side seemed like a largely stupid idea at the moment. Maybe it was her dream. Or maybe she was just losing her mind. She stared into his eyes and he stared back, berating her with a glare that said she better listen to him or else.

Seeing as he was temporarily incapacitated, Hermione really didn't think he was that threatening. Slowly, his grey eyes started to slide out of focus. She blinked heavily and tried to keep the eye contact.

"Lupin?" Malfoy said, sounding distant.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" Lupin asked without looking up. He sounded distracted.

"Maybe you should catch Granger," Malfoy replied calmly. "Before she—"

And Hermione fell to the ground in a heap.

"Falls over."

Lupin ran to her side and levitated her to a chair, careful not to touch her with his bloody hands. Almost immediately, he returned to Malfoy's side, and resumed sewing the boy back together. Malfoy stared at Hermione's limp form while he tried to ignore the feeling of his body being patched like an old pair of Weasley's robes.

"Why is she still here?" he asked Lupin, mostly to end the silence.

"She cares for you," he said without looking up.

Malfoy furrowed his brow. "She does not!"

"That's not what I meant. She cares for you, as in she's takes care of you. She feels it's her responsibility since she was the one who saved you." Lupin shook his head and chuckled a little. "She's a self-righteous one, she is. She's going to do whatever she can to keep you safe now, remember that. She saved you once, and she will not hesitate to save you again."

Malfoy nodded without speaking. "I suppose I'll have to thank her one day."

"One day soon, I should hope, Mr. Malfoy."

A notion struck Malfoy. "What's going to happen if Potter and Weasel find out she's been here taking care of their arch nemesis?" he asked curiously.

Lupin continued to work on his chest. "If she doesn't come up with a good enough excuse, it could mean a mighty big row, which could either end her relationship with Ron, cause a huge fight, or, in a worse case scenario, could end their friendship."

Malfoy looked thoughtful. "She shouldn't throw away her high standing in society and her pedestal just to take care of me."

"I suppose not," Lupin said as he finished up. He straightened and cleaned his hands silently. Hermione stirred on the couch and sat up groggily.

"What happened?" she asked. Malfoy smirked at her.

"You were dead on your feet Granger. You should try sleeping," he said, trying to sound scathing but failing. She stuck out her tongue petulantly, clearly too tired to think of a witty remark to send back at him. He sneered.

A crack made all three of them jump. A tall, willowy figure with white blonde hair materialized in front of them and dusted itself off. Lupin immediately disappeared with a crack much like the one before, leaving Hermione to wonder if she should jump behind the couch of face death head on.

Narcissa Malfoy had finally arrived.

"Draco!" she said loudly, sweeping toward her son and touching his face. "What happened to you?"

Hermione backed up slowly into a corner. Suddenly a wand was pointed at her from across the room.

"Mother, it's ok, Granger saved my life," Malfoy said, trying to get her attention.

Narcissa lowered her wand and leaned toward Malfoy's gashes. "Why are you put together like a Muggle? Why didn't your savior," she said distastefully, "fix you the right way?"

"With all due respect, Miss Malfoy," Hermione said, finding her voice, "He was attacked by a werewolf, so his cuts wouldn't heal with magic. Normally they would heal on their own, but he was bleeding way too much for me to just let them stay open."

Narcissa appraised her disdainfully and Hermione felt heated under her scrutiny.

"Well, I guess I owe you thanks for taking care of my son. For saving his life," she said, bowing her head slightly. "I suppose he was attacked by Remus Lupin, the bloody fool."

"No, Mother, I was attacked by Greyback," Malfoy spoke, when Hermione looked furious.

"That's impossible, Draco dear. There's no way Fenrir would dare—"

"Why don't you ask Granger, Mother? She was there. She knows. Or why don't you ask the Dark Lord?"

Narcissa stared at her son for a second. "Who ordered it?" she asked.

"I don't know." He said frankly. "Naturally, I would have killed them had I known who it was."

Narcissa took a moment in sweeping the room with her penetrating gaze again. "Where's your wand?"

"I lost it."

She sighed heavily and examined his wounds closely. "Well, September the first is getting closer, and we need to go to Diagon Alley anyway. I suppose I can send you to Ollivander's to get your wand, while I pick up everything else for you." She turned to Hermione. "Would you mind coming and keeping an eye on him? It seems you are already acting as his nurse."

Hermione snorted. "Actually, I need to go to Diagon Alley anyway, once we get our letters from Hogwarts, so I wouldn't mind."

Narcissa stared at Hermione for a few seconds until Hermione squirmed. "Are you in love with my son?" she asked plaintively.

"Mother!"

"Excuse me?"

Narcissa shrugged. "It was merely a question. I'll come back to check on you later. Both of you," she said, raising an eyebrow at Hermione. When the door to his bedroom closed, Malfoy relaxed.

"I love the woman, but sometimes," he said, trailing off.

"I get it," Hermione answered. She settled back into the couch cushions and found herself falling asleep again, and back to where her dream left off.

A/N: REVIEWS! How did you like the steamy dream?!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful you guys! I love my reviewers so much! Well, I'm going to get this next chapter done, even though it's not going to be that action-packed. That'll be the next chapter. This chapter has a lot of plot elements and such…there's even a row. =) Ok, that's all you're getting. Now you'll just have to read on.

Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine, nothing else. Even though I want Draco Malfoy and all of the Zelda games, which my best friend is attempting to play to no avail. Seriously, she's trying to catch a pig and she can't do it. And now she's yelling "Come on lady, gimme my money!"

Chapter Four: Dodging Fate and Best Friends

Draco Malfoy woke the next day to sounds of Hermione bustling about, checking things around him and making sure Zonko had brought the right breakfast. He slowly opened one eye, and then the other, when he realized Hermione was staring at him. She placed a tray across his thighs and retreated to her sleeping couch, where she picked up the last book she had been reading and ate her bagel with cream cheese and strawberry jam, her favorite breakfast.

Draco dug into his strawberry pancakes and sipped his coffee thoughtfully, watching Hermione surreptitiously from his bed. She, too, was watching Draco inconspicuously from behind her book, keeping the lower half of her face covered, successfully hiding the blush that crept onto her cheeks whenever Draco looked at her.

It bothered her that her dream was so vivid. She never remembered her dreams. And she felt horribly guilty that she liked kissing Draco, in her dream. She tried to focus her thoughts on Ron, but when she finally got her thoughts on track, Malfoy called out to her.

"Yes?" she asked, trying to sound unaffected.

"When are we going to Diagon Alley?" he said, sipping his coffee.

She returned to her book, unable to look right into his stunning gray eyes. She felt her cheeks turn pink. "When we get our letters, I suppose."

"Well, aren't those what you're looking for?" he pointed to the window. There were two tawny owls floating outside the window, tapping the glass impatiently. Hermione ran to the window and opened it, and one owl offered it's leg to her, while the other went to Malfoy.

She opened the envelope cautiously, not knowing what to expect. All she knew was the envelope was suspiciously fatter than usual.

"Yes!" she exclaimed loudly. "I'm Head Girl!"

Malfoy chuckled.

"What?" she asked, whirling to face him.

He just held up a badge, and smirked.

"You're Head Boy?!"

Hermione groaned. Malfoy opened his letter and read it, oblivious to Hermione's distress.

_I'm going to have to live with him every day for the rest of my school career! I'm going to have to see his face every morning and every night for a year! I'm going to have to see his eyes. Oh Merlin, his eyes. _

Hermione blushed as her thoughts turned again to her dream.

She stared into space for a little while longer, lost in her mental turmoil, until Malfoy caught her attention by waving the parchment, rather rudely, Hermione thought, in front of her face.

"Which subjects are you taking?" he asked, as if he had already asked more than once.

Hermione glanced down at her paper. "Uh, Defense, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Arithmancy, and Ancient Runes," she rattled off.

"You're taking all the subjects I'm taking," Malfoy said nonchalantly. "That's a little creepy, don't you think, Granger?"

Hermione lifted her chin a little. "Maybe you should stop stalking me then, huh Malfoy?" she said defiantly.

Malfoy actually laughed, and winced when the action hurt his stomach. "Well, since we have our letters now, can we go to Diagon Alley?" he asked. Hermione raised an eyebrow at the boy lying in the bed with his hand draped across his bare chest, who just wanted to get out of his personal prison.

Gods, he was cute.

Hermione blinked, and had to clench her fists to keep from slapping herself. This is ridiculous!

She sighed resignedly. "Fine."

Malfoy pumped his fist in the air, and called Mittens. "Yes Master Draco?" she asked.

"I need some normal clothing," he said. "A black shirt so no one can see all this," he ran his hands over his chest, and Hermione looked away. Mittens clapped her hands and ran into his closet, and came out almost instantly, carrying normal light wash denim jeans and a plain black t-shirt.

"And some clothes for Miss Granger too please," he said, and slipped the shirt on. Hermione jumped, a little startled, and stared at him as he untied his cashmere pajama bottoms and let them fall to the floor. He tried, repeatedly, to put the pants on, and almost fell over several times before Hermione stood up to help him. She knelt in front of him, ignoring his snickers about her position, and helped him get his feet in the jeans without bleeding severely.

"You know Granger," he said snidely. "Most girls help me take my pants off."

"Sod off, Malfoy," she said waspishly. He smirked, and her glare softened. "Now what's this about you having clothes for me?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Mother saw what you were wearing yesterday and had the house elves bring you clothes."

"…from?" Hermione asked.

"A store, Granger, where else?" he said, slightly impatiently.

She flipped him the bird as her attention was redirected at Mittens, who brought her a low cut black shirt much like Malfoy's, and a light wash denim miniskirt.

Malfoy chuckled.

She stared at the clothes for a second, then stalked off into the bathroom to change, unwilling to protest when she was being given new clothes for free. While she had her back turned, Mittens and Malfoy high-fived.

When she emerged, Malfoy had to stare at her legs for a little longer than necessary. She hid them so well behind baggy jeans and long, grandma skirts that he didn't realize how toned and muscular they were. Her calves flexed as she reached out to pick up her sneakers and slip them on, trying hard to do so and not flash Malfoy her pretty lacy underwear.

But it was ok. Malfoy had already seen them anyway. They were blue.

Going to Diagon Alley was a lot more difficult than Malfoy or Hermione had imagined. There were Hogwarts students all over the place, including Harry and Ron, somewhere. Hermione had to keep leaping behind things or busying herself in another store so it wouldn't look like she was shopping with Malfoy. When he went to Ollivander's, for example, she took his Potions list and some of his Galleons to go to the Apothecary to buy ingredients.

When she went to Flourish and Blotts, he went to Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlor, and when they met up behind an abandoned corner, he handed her a strawberry sundae. Her heart spluttered and she raised an eyebrow, focusing on his sharp cheekbones instead of his eyes.

"I felt bad for getting ice cream without you," he said, shrugging. "Stop being so weird."

She punched him in the shoulder and he grabbed his arm in mock-hurt. She smiled and took a bite of ice cream. They sat in silence as she ate her cold treat, and when she finished, she swallowed slowly.

"We need to go to Madam Malkins, and that's it," she said.

Malfoy looked surprised. "You want to go get robes. With me." He said.

"Well, I figured if I let you go by yourself, you might lose yourself in all the shopping," she said petulantly. "And we need dress robes."

Malfoy smirked, and held out his arm in a gallant manner. "After you," he said. As she walked away, he called after her. "I'll be there in two minutes. Inconspicuous and such."

She rolled her eyes as she walked away."Idiot." As if yelling to her wasn't conspicuous at all.

Not in the least.

She had chosen a pale pink and lavender set of dress robes when Malfoy entered the store. She ignored him and hid in the dressing room, under the pretense of, well, trying on robes. She smiled at her reflection when she emerged in the lavender robes. She looked sweet and innocent. She looked pretty.

"Put this on," Malfoy said quietly, with his back to her. She raised an eyebrow at her reflection, but grabbed the clothes nonetheless. The ensemble he and Mittens had chosen this morning had gotten her more than a few appreciative looks, so she was willing to accept his fashion advice.

"And these," she turned back around and came face to face with grey eyes. She swallowed thickly and took the red robes he handed her and retreated back to her dressing room, where she leaned against the wall and took deep, steadying breaths. This dream about Malfoy needed to just permanently exit her mind for good.

If only she could make that happen.

But she tried to convince herself this feeling she had was merely lust. A physical attraction, nothing more. So he was good looking, so were tons of people. There was just something about the way he carried himself, the confidence he exuded all the time, his elegance. He was just a cocky little bastard, and damn it, she was attracted to that.

Merlin she was weird.

She slipped on the red robes first, thinking she would rarely wear black. Except for today, she thought wearily as she dropped her black shirt to the floor. When she emerged, Malfoy was nowhere to be found. She stared at herself for almost a minute in the mirror before she recognized herself. Her hair looked shinier, her eyes were brighter. Red worked on her. She smiled at herself cheekily.

"Nice."

She whirled around and saw Malfoy, all dolled up in midnight blue. It was probably the closest thing to a color other than black she had seen him wear in robes. And hell, he looked good. But he would look good wearing anything. Or nothing.

Mmmmm.

Hermione blinked a few times, and grinned. He just smirked. "Now go put on the black ones," he said snidely.

She flounced back to her dressing room, ignoring him. Although, now she did want to put on the black ones, just to see. She slid them over her head and sighed contentedly. This material was heaven.

It was silk.

She knew before she even saw her reflection that she looked good. She felt good. And when she saw herself, she had to squint to actually see the Hermione she was used to. She looked pretty before, but this was a different kind of attractive. It was a dark sexpot look. The material fit her like a second skin, and her curves looked soft and sexy. They flowed over her like water, and she couldn't help but wink. She looked HOT.

Malfoy, who had changed too, came out from the dressing room and whistled. "You're buying that," was all he said, but Hermione blushed all the same.

Until she saw the price tag. There was no way she could afford this. She regretfully put her clothes back on and grabbed the red dress robes, hanging up the black on the hook in the room. When she emerged with the red ones, Malfoy tutted.

"Where are the black ones?" he demanded.

"In the dressing room," she said, sounding chagrined.

He stormed to her dressing room, strode to the counter, and despite Hermione's many protests, paid for hers and his. He handed her the bag and when she glared at him, stuck out his tongue much like she had taken to doing when she had nothing witty to say.

They Apparated to the Manor in silence. Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Malfoy turned his back and walked to his closet, hanging up both his and Hermione's dress robes. He had just bought her clothes. He only bought his girlfriends clothes! Granger was NOT his girlfriend. She would never be his girlfriend.

He shook the idea from his mind and resolved to drown in this silence before he said something he would regret. He thought back to Madam Malkin's. Hermione in those black robes looked, in a word, sexy. She had looked pretty in fourth year, with her pretty turquoise robes, but in those black ones, she looked mature, grown up. She looked…good.

He quickly deleted the thought from his mind as Hermione spoke.

"Malfoy?" he stuck his head out of the closet quickly.

She looked at the floor nervously and shuffled her feet. "Thanks," she said softly. She looked up into his eyes for a split second, before looking down again.

Malfoy smirked to himself and shut the door, marveling again at his ability to make females nervous. Not needing to feed his ego much more, Malfoy exited his closet and ran right into Remus Lupin.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy, I was just coming to get you," he said, sounding distant.

"What happened?" Malfoy asked immediately. Lupin chuckled hollowly.

"Nothing yet, Mr. Malfoy. I was just trying to clear some things up. First things first. Will you take off your shirt for me?"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow but said nothing, and stripped off his shirt. Hermione, back in the background, shivered. The stitches were still intact, and still functioning. Malfoy used his brand new wand, 12 inches, unicorn hair, yew wand to summon his shirt so he wouldn't strain himself.

But Lupin didn't leave.

"Was there something else, sir?" Hermione asked nervously. Her chocolate eyes flicked from Malfoy to Lupin, and back. Malfoy wanted to slap himself. Now he was going to notice every single time she looked at him! He couldn't stop his stomach from clenching at the thought.

"Well, Mr. Malfoy here was attacked by Fenrir Greyback who is, as you know, a werewolf." Lupin cleared his throat. "While it was not the full moon at the time, Malfoy was still mauled by a werewolf, and there is a chance that he could become one himself."

Malfoy sunk to the floor, ignoring the fact that he looked like a little child about to throw a tantrum.

Lupin looked back down at Malfoy. "The full moon is three weeks away, Mr. Malfoy. We could either wait that long, or I can ask someone in the Order to brew you a potion to see if you transform. If you aren't a werewolf, it will just be like drinking a potion. If you are a werewolf, however, you will transform."

Malfoy's already pale face paled to positively sheet white. Hermione herself sank to the couch on the other side of the room.

"Brew me the potion," he said quietly.

Lupin nodded. "I'll be back in a few hours," he said.

When he left, Malfoy put his head in his hands and left it there. He heard Hermione move, but couldn't quite place where she was, until he heard her voice close to him.

"It's going to be ok," she said soothingly. He clenched his eyes shut.

"It's not going to be ok, Granger," he said scathingly. "I thought you were smart."

She took a step back. "For one, I am smart. Two, I'm just trying to help."

"Well don't help me Granger!" he said, his voice getting louder with every word. "You can't help me if I'm a fucking werewolf!"

Hermione tried to stay calm. "If you take the Wolfsbane potion—"

Malfoy screamed. "I don't want to rely on a bloody potion for the rest of my goddamn life Granger! I want to live! I want to be able to not have to worry about the moon. I want to be normal for once in my fucking life! If I'm a werewolf, I won't get that!"

She finally screamed back. "All I'm trying to do is help you prepare yourself." She took a deep breath and lowered her voice. "Look, I make the potion for Lupin already, and—"

"Why?"

She stopped. "Why what?"

"Why are you willing to help me so much? First you save my life, then you tend to me like my personal house elf, and now you want to help a potential werewolf?"

"I have no prejudices Malfoy," she deadpanned.

"Still. I'm your enemy. So I repeat, why are you here?"

She sighed. "Because you didn't ask for this. You didn't ask to be attacked, you definitely didn't ask to maybe be a werewolf. So, I believe in fairness."

"Well, this certainly isn't fair for you," he pointed out.

"I'll live."

He opened his mouth to respond, but Lupin returned with a pop.

"That was fast," Hermione remarked.

"I had it already made," he replied with a grim half-smile. He passed it to Malfoy. "Bottoms up," he said.

Malfoy glanced one final time at Hermione, who had her wand pointed at him.

"Just a precaution, I assure you," she said.

He rolled his eyes, and swallowed the potion.

"Augh, that was atrocious," he spluttered, resisting the urge to throw up all over the carpet. He stared at Lupin, who was starting to smile.

"No werewolf," was all he said before he disappeared.

"Well, that was rather anti-climactic," Hermione grumbled, lowering her wand. "But you're not a werewolf!" she exclaimed. She ran up and threw her arms around him, letting him go almost instantly, quickly remembering who it was and how injured his whole top half was. Malfoy appraised her critically.

Merlin. Did Granger have a crush on him? Malfoy sat on his bed and laid back, thinking hard.

Granger saved his life.

She stayed by his side for three days with no sleep.

She cried when he started bleeding.

She blushed when she looked at him.

She was self-conscious.

She was nervous.

She took him to Diagon Alley when she could have avoided it.

She let him dress her.

She lied to her Weasel boyfriend and Potty for him.

She was giving up time with her friends.

She hugged him.

She offered to stay by him when he might have been a werewolf.

She offered to make an extremely difficult potion so he would be safe.

Merlin's beard.

Hermione Granger had a crush on Draco Malfoy. Malfoy slapped his hand over his face. This was going to get messy. He could already tell. He smiled a little, under the cover of his hand. He had managed to get one of the Golden Trio, and the smartest one, no doubt, to stray from their side. He was a mastermind.

A/N: Well? Two and a Half Men is on. Peace!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I think you guys don't know exactly how amazing you all are! The reviews I got after the last chapter made my day(s). You guys are so supportive! I had a photo shoot on Monday and afterwards, I'm having a meeting with my manager about my music career and a BOOK DEAL! How awesome does that sound?

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly. I normally would have something wittier to put here, but I just want to get right down to the nitty-gritty. I mean, of course, the chapter.

Chapter Five: Heads and Tails

Hermione Granger had never been more nervous in her life. She woke on September 1st two hours earlier than she needed to, and had nothing to do with her time. She had packed her trunk and Malfoy's the night before. Rather, she had let Malfoy pack his trunk, and then re-done every aspect of it. What was it about boys and just stuffing all of their crap into a box and hoping they could find everything later?

Maybe she was nervous because she was Head Girl now. Or maybe she was nervous because this was going to be her last train ride to Hogwarts to begin a school year. Or maybe it was because she had a crush on her supposed worst enemy and she also had a loving boyfriend who was waiting for her on that train.

She was rather inclined to go with the last one.

She sat on the edge of her couch, twirling her frizzy curl around her finger absentmindedly, trying to think of ways to occupy her time. She could read…or she could…read?

This was hopeless. Hermione stood up with a huff and quietly stomped over to the shower, pausing before she reached the bathroom to glance at Malfoy's sleeping face. He looked so different when he was asleep, so tender and soft, that she would have liked to watch him sleep rather than sleep herself. His long blonde, transparent eyelashes could barely be seen in the dim lighting, but she could just make out their sharp curl. His face was devoid of emotion and blemish, so much that it could have been carved from stone. His lips were slightly parted and Hermione could hear his breathing coming deep and slow.

He looked flawless.

She turned around quickly and high tailed it back to the bathroom when he shifted under his silk sheets, afraid that he might catch her staring. She shut and locked the door behind her and stripped. She made the water as hot as she could stand and stayed under the stream until her skin tinged pink. She tried to wash off all thoughts of Draco Malfoy, and she tried to suppress all guilty thoughts about Ronald Weasley, and tried to squelch all worried thoughts about Harry Potter, who still hadn't responded to her letter.

When she wrapped the black fluffy towel around herself and stepped out of the shower, she stared at her face in the steamy mirror. Her ringlets were weighed down and frizz-free, the water hanging from her eyelashes looked pretty. But her slightly upturned nose, big brown eyes, and plump pink lips reminded her of a newborn calf, and not a seductress worthy of Draco Malfoy.

There he was again. Stupid Malfoy, invading her used-to-be-pure-thoughts all the time. She used to dream about saving the world. Now all she could dream about was the feeling of those lips…if only she could experience it for real.

As if that would ever happen.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at her reflection. She threw open the door to the bathroom, trying to ignore the fact that she was wrapped in only a towel and Malfoy could easily wake up and catch her practically naked if he so pleased. She marched her way into the closet and called out quietly, "Mittens?"

A loud crack that she wished she had silenced sliced through the air. Mittens stood before her, her little mittened hands woven together in front of her slight body. "How may I help you, Miss?" she asked. Then she paused. "Will you be requiring some clothes?"

"Uh, yes," Hermione said slowly. "Can you show me what you have?"

Mittens led her down to the end of the long closet, showing her rows of dark colored shirts and jeans, skirts, and shorts. She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and chewed, surveying her choices. She chose a black top that looked like it would look too big and held it out in front of her.

"That one hangs off one shoulder," Mittens supplied helpfully.

There were letters on the front of the shirt, written so large they were hard to make out. The shirt said "Kiss me stupid."

Hermione rolled her eyes but kept the shirt. She went to the jeans, intent on choosing a nice pair of long pants, when Mittens tugged on her hand.

"Try this," she said. She passed Hermione a pair of bright blue denim short shorts, and a box.

Hermione lifted the corner of the top. "What's in here?" she asked.

"Your shoes, Miss," Mittens said, sounding impatient. "Mr. Malfoy will wake soon," she said pointedly.

As in, get back in that bathroom before you get caught.

"Gotcha," Hermione said, and she opened the door slowly. Malfoy looked like he was still asleep. She crept into the room and was to the door when he stirred. She froze, looking no doubt like a deer in the headlights, but he just shifted positions and she exhaled loudly. She ran into the bathroom and shut the door silently behind her, but not before Malfoy caught a tantalizing glance of her long, bare leg.

Hermione leaned against the closed door and took a few deep, cleansing breaths. Then she looked down at the clothes in her hand. The shirt was roomy and comfortable, but showed a large portion of bare shoulder and collarbone. What Hermione really had a problem with was the shorts. She probably had underwear bigger than these shorts! Who was Mrs. Malfoy trying to be anyway? Her pimp?

But the blue shorts were silky soft and fastened easily. She ran her fingers over the shorts and smiled. Mittens rocked right about now. And then the opened the shoe box, and held up the offending shoe.

It looked like a moccasin, only it was grey with blue fringe and peacock feathers, with black soles. They were supposed to go all the way up to her knees. She slipped them on and laced them up.

Yeah. Narcissa Malfoy was now her pimp.

Hermione risked a glance at the watch on her wrist. It was only seven o'clock in the morning. Malfoy was not up yet. She tapped her head and said a charm, and her hair instantly tamed, making her ringlets fall around her shoulders much like they did when they were wet, but they were shiny and dry. Then she glanced to the cursed box that sat untouched by the edge of the counter.

It was full of makeup. Hermione had seen her mother put on makeup enough times to know generally how to use everything, but she whispered "Mittens," nonetheless. The elf popped in front of her.

"How may I help you Miss?" she asked.

"Do you know how to deal with this?" she asked, pointing at her face.

Mittens looked confused. "Miss?"

"I mean, do you know how to apply makeup?" she asked timidly.

Mittens smiled, and Hermione brightened a little. "I shall teach you Miss, so you may impress young Master Malfoy."

"Thanks, I mean what?" Hermione looked horrified, but her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.

"It's ok, Miss," Mittens said, opening the makeup case. "I won't tell." She leaned forward conspiratorially. "Young Master is rather handsome isn't he?" she said, obviously saying Hermione could ramble on about his amazing looks if she so wished.

But she just sighed. "It's too bad I'm not beautiful," she said wistfully.

Mittens looked affronted. "Miss is beautiful!" she said, offended. She took out a mirror and showed Hermione her own face, as if maybe Hermione had been seeing a warped version of her own face for all her years.

And Mittens went on to explain how all of the makeup was used, and Hermione listened carefully, as if this was a lesson and she was going to have to take an OWL on it later. When Mittens was finished, Hermione's honey colored eyes sparkled with gold shadow, the apples of her cheeks glowed pink, most of her freckles were buried under foundation, and her full lips shined with the help of some strawberry lip gloss.

"You look even more beautiful than ever, Miss," Mittens said, smiling happily at her handiwork. "Now Mittens must go, for Master Malfoy will want his breakfast soon," she winked at Hermione, who grinned.

"Yes, I suppose he will," she said. Hermione Granger had never been good at keeping secrets, and her crush on Draco Malfoy was a huge secret. Most of the time, she would tell Ginny, or maybe even Harry or Ron. But this time, those were the people that could not find out. So she let herself spill the secret to Mittens. The house elf was shrewd and kind, and would not just blurt out Hermione's secrets. She would help her instead.

So Hermione leaned down and hugged the house elf tightly. "Thank you for all your help," she said. The elf patted her shoulder and disappeared with a loud CRACK.

Hermione studied her face one more time in the mirror before she left the sanctuary of the bathroom. The minute she opened the door she noticed that Malfoy was sitting up in his bed and reading the Daily Prophet. She averted her eyes and angled her face so he couldn't tell anything was different. But he did notice the clothes.

But he didn't say anything aloud. He just stared as she walked by. He had never seen her show that much skin before. Her bare shoulder was teasing him. The fringe on her shoes swung in time with her little bitty hips. Malfoy swallowed thickly and re-read the same line in the newspaper for the tenth time.

Hermione was dismayed. Malfoy wasn't even noticing her! This was getting ridiculous. She subtly cleared her throat. But the second he turned his eyes on her, she wished she could take it back. She wanted to squirm under the heat of his gaze, but instead turned her back and busied herself putting something innocuous into her trunk like it was a number one priority. He stared at her backside for a minute before he turned his attention back to his paper, reprimanding himself for letting his gaze linger. He wasn't supposed to look at a Mudblood like that. He wasn't supposed to think her petite little body looked incredibly sexy when she showed some skin.

So he pushed the thoughts from his mind and turned them again to the all but forgotten newspaper on his lap. Luckily, Mittens popped in with the breakfast.

"Wow, Miss looks beautiful today," she gushed, laying the tray across Malfoy's lap. Hermione turned, facing Malfoy for the first time that morning, and his breath momentarily left his chest.

Her eyes positively sparkled. Her cheeks glowed, and her lips shined. Her long, curly eyelashes fluttered and her hair floated around her soft face. She looked like an angel. She smiled uncomfortably, and Malfoy felt the corners of his mouth twitch. He wanted to smile back at her.

And then his mother popped in.

And the moment was gone. Malfoy cleared his throat and looked down at his pancakes and Hermione busied herself in her trunk. Narcissa laid her hand on Hermione's shoulder and she jumped violently, banging her head on the top of the trunk. Malfoy chuckled, then straightened his face when Hermione shot a glare his way. Ignoring the goose flesh that erupted on his arms when she looked at him that way, he buried his face and torso under a couple of down pillows.

Hermione laughed, and Narcissa raised an eyebrow. Hermione raised her eyebrows and averted her eyes, moving to her respective couch with her bagel, trying to balance her coffee while she settled into the plushy couch and propped her book on her lap, crossing her legs daintily at the ankles.

"Are you children all set to go to Kings Cross?" she asked, her eyes flickering from Malfoy to Hermione. Malfoy spoke up, and Hermione took that chance to stuff half her bagel in her mouth to be saved from joining the conversation. Narcissa Malfoy still freaked her out a little.

"Of course, Mother," Malfoy said, sipping his coffee. "What else would Granger be, but organized?"

Narcissa glanced over at Hermione, who was attempting, and failing, to look like she was engrossed in her book. Honestly, she couldn't name the title of the book if she had to.

"Well I guess I'll leave you children to your fun," she said, and again her eyes lingered on Hermione. Malfoy, too, let his offending eyes drift over to the girl, who was no staring Narcissa in the eyes, daring her to say anything about her appearance.

"Something's different about you today," she said dismissively. "I like it."

Hermione's pinked cheeks blushed red, and she looked down. When Narcissa left the room, Hermione pitched a cushion at Malfoy, who looked offended. She laughed out loud when he turned his head to her and glared, his platinum blonde hair mussed on one side.

"We need to keep your mother out of here," she said. Malfoy just shrugged, and pitched the cushion back to her, clocking her in the side of her head, tossing a few curls over her side part. She frowned at him. He just smirked and reached up to fix his hair.

"No, don't," she said. "It looks better when it's not slicked back."

He let his hand fall to his side, and tilted his head to the right, staring at her. She squirmed. "What?"

"Come here," he said. Her stomach dropped. This was it. He was going to kiss her for real this time. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, ricocheting off her ribcage and settling down near her stomach. She felt her cheeks heat up and resisted the urge to fan them. Malfoy looked completely irresistible with his blonde hair falling into his grey eyes and his long eyelashes keeping his locks from poking him in the eyes.

When she reached his bedside, he reached his hand up. Hermione tensed, waiting for him to cup her face. But he didn't. He reached up and flipped the rebel curls back to where they belonged.

She tried not to look too disappointed.

The rest of the morning passed without incident, although Malfoy caught himself glancing back at Hermione more times than he cared to admit, and Hermione spent a lot of her time trying not to get caught staring at Malfoy when she knew for a fact he wasn't looking her way. It was like stare tag, and Malfoy was winning. It seemed that whenever Hermione looked his way, he caught her.

"Ok, I'll let you get on the train first, seeing as I'm supposed to meet Harry and Ron, and you standing around by yourself here would be a little weird," Hermione said to Malfoy for the ten thousandth time, and he just rolled his eyes in response.

She sighed, exasperated. "Fine, you want to get caught and beat up, fine. Maybe I'll just let you bleed to death, then."

"Oh Merlin Granger I'm going, I'm going," he said, wheeling his trolley around, trying not to let his pain show on his face of actually doing any sort of physical activity.

Hermione looked worried. "You aren't in any pain, are you?" she asked. He shook his head, but she looked unconvinced. She reached out and touched his chest lightly, feeling for the stitches through his loose fitting black shirt. His muscles unconsciously tensed, making his torso feel even more inviting than before. She blushed dark red again.

Lavender Brown narrowed her eyes from across the platform.

"Ok, go," she said, pushing him slightly in the direction of the blank brick wall. "I'll come find you later for the Head's Meeting."

Ron and Harry appeared at the far entrance, surrounded by a sea of redheads.

"Go!"

And Malfoy was gone, and Hermione already missed him. But she continued to stare into nothing, feigning surprise when Ron hugged her from behind. She allowed him a small kiss before turning to Harry and everyone else and hugging everyone tightly.

"So how were the sick people?" Ron asked, throwing an arm around her shoulder.

"Sick," she replied vaguely. He chuckled, and turned to Harry to say something. Luckily, whatever Harry's reply was got him off the subject of sick people and Hermione could breathe easy again.

"So I hear you're Head Girl!" Harry said, clapping Hermione on the back. "Not that we're surprised or anything."

"Who's Head Boy, do you reckon?" Ron asked. "Macmillian?"

"Actually, it's Malfoy," Hermione mumbled.

"Who?"

"Malfoy?" Hermione's voice went up, making his identity sound like a question.

Ron erupted. Hermione had been expecting it, really.

"There's no way I'm going to let you stay in a Tower with that scum bag! He's a Death Eater, Hermione! He'll kill you in your bed!" Hermione just sighed. "You know what?" Hermione looked up, alarmed. "I think it's time I had a little talk with Mal-ferret."

"Ron, come on," Hermione protested, standing up. But Ron was already out the compartment door. Harry just sat there. "Are you just going to let him go?"

"You're right," he said, standing up. "I should probably go see if he needs help. Malfoy looks pretty strong."

Not with those stitches, Hermione thought.

When they found Ron, he was yelling in Malfoy's face, and Malfoy looked completely calm.

"If you touch one hair on her head Malfoy, I swear I'll—"

"Rest assured, Weasel, I have no intention of deflowering your precious Gryffindor princess," he said, and his eyes rested on Hermione for a second. His sneer said malevolence, but his eyes showed nothing but raw fear. He didn't want to get hurt again, not after what happened to him before.

Ron let out a strangled yell and leaped at Malfoy, managing a swift blow to his abdomen before Hermione pulled him back and wrestled him to a wall. Malfoy slunk into an empty compartment, and Hermione noted the number.

"Ronald Weasley, are you completely MENTAL!?" she yelled. "Attacking a student, the HEAD BOY nonetheless, unprovoked? You could get thrown out!"

Ron just looked satisfied.

"If you'll excuse me, I have a Head's meeting to go to. I should probably find the Head Boy. I'll deal with you later."

She stomped out of the compartment and when she was sure no one was watching sprinted down to the compartment Malfoy was definitely hiding in. She knocked twice, then let herself in.

She kneeled to the ground next to him, where he was just staring at the celieng. "Let me see," she ordered. When he didn't say anything to her, she wrenched his shirt up and sighed. Only one stitch was busted, but there was still blood there. She used a simple healing spell to close it up for the time being. Since the wounds were almost healed, the stitches weren't disappearing and the magical remedies were working more and more effectively.

"You know that the Dark Lord thinks there's a spy in his ranks?" Malfoy said quietly.

Hermione froze.

"My whole family is under inquiry," he continued.

Hermione debated with herself momentarily, then responded. "So is that why Greyback attacked you?"

"Greyback has always had a thing against me. Maybe because I'm the young one, I dunno," he said, scratching his forehead thoughtfully.

"So who ordered the attack?" she asked quietly.

"It really doesn't matter, Granger. What matters is, I can't trust anyone anymore. Except for maybe my mother, Mittens, and you."

Hermione's heart thudded when he said "you", but she ignored it for the moment. She was on to something. "It was someone in your family wasn't it?" she asked, relentless.

He didn't say anything.

"Tell me."

"It was Bellatrix."

A/N: So I'm really sorry it took so long for me to write this chapter, but trust me, it felt like a chore. I don't know what it was about this certain chapter, but I re-wrote it like three or four times. And my even BETTER excuse is I had a photo shoot earlier this week, so I was pretty busy. But the pictures are awesome. If anyone wants to see them, just ask. Thanks so much for waiting.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Wow! A whole bunch of reviews right off the bat! Well, since you guys are so awesome, I'm going to try to match your awesomeness and write another chapter immediately! Even though I probably won't post this until like three days after I write this Author's Note, I'm going to do my hardest to try.

Disclaimer: I got a meningitis shot yesterday!! Ouch my arm hurts! (Does that make this mine? Nooo. Pity gets you NO WHERE!)

Chapter Six: Bedchamber Nightmares

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, may I speak to you two please?" asked a weathered looking Professor McGonagall. Malfoy, who had been walking about ten feet behind Hermione and the rest of the Golden Trio, paused in the middle of his conversation with Blaise Zambini and Hermione nodded, glancing back as if to search for his approval. Pansy Parkinson hissed at her.

"Of course Professor," she replied graciously. Malfoy nodded almost imperceptibly, and they walked off, Malfoy a little in front of Hermione this time, so she could admire him walking. Even injured, he was graceful.

Little did she know that was exactly what Malfoy had been doing when she was walking in front of him. This time, as she walked away, Ron was the one staring at Hermione while Harry was trying to talk to him.

"Ron, are you even listening?" he asked, nudging his arm.

"She looked really pretty today, don't you think?" Ron asked as a response. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Yes, she looked so pretty," he said mockingly, flailing his arms around.

"She looked positively hot."

"Ok, that's where I draw the line."

Harry and Ron entered the Great Hall amid whispers. They seated themselves between Seamus and Ginny, who both immediately started talking about Quidditch. Hermione was still gone when the Sorting began, and she was still absent when the feast appeared. Ron dug into his food politely, startling everyone around him, who had braced themselves for a flurry of food.

In Professor McGonagall's office, Hermione and Malfoy sat beside each other while the Professor talked. Hermione was acutely aware that their arms were almost touching. She could feel heat waves crashing over her right forearm, and wondered what would happen if she moved an inch to the right. Her arm twitched a little in response.

Malfoy himself smirked when her arm twitched. He himself wanted to close the gap of air between their arms, but he, at least, had enough control to keep still.

"Ok, well this year we're planning on throwing balls," McGonagall began. Malfoy snorted, and the corners of Hermione's mouth twitched. "Oh, grow up," she snapped.

"The Halloween Ball, the Yule Ball, the Valentines Ball, and the Graduation Ball," she rattled off quickly, ticking them off of her fingers. "As Head Boy and Girl, it will be your responsibility to plan them with the help of the prefects. However, you two will have to do with first bit of planning on your own, because we want the ball to be a surprise. We will announce it in a week's time, but until then, please keep it quiet."

"Of course, Professor," Hermione said, nodding. Malfoy rolled his eyes at her and she nudged him.

"You two will, as I'm sure you know, be sharing a Tower, which includes two bedchambers, a connecting bathroom, a common room, and a small kitchen area. I must implore you that you two are role models in this school now. You must act civil in each other's company. No names," she finished, glaring at Malfoy.

He nodded once.

"Now," McGonagall looked around, then perched herself on the edge of her desk, peering at Malfoy intently. "May I see your stitches?" she asked.

Malfoy raised his eyebrows at Hermione.

"She's part of the Order, Malfoy," she said. "I'm sure Lupin told her."

"I'm the only other person who knows," she assured Malfoy quickly. "Just so I can be sure you aren't hurt at school. Well, besides Dumbledore, but no one needed to tell him. He's just omniscient."

Malfoy lifted his shirt and McGonagall stared at his torso as though transfixed. She clicked her tongue. "Well, Mr. Malfoy, I'm astounded you managed to survive that."

"Thank Granger, Professor."

"Yes well, you should too, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said, back to business. "I think the feast is almost over, but I sent plenty of food up to your tower for you to eat. I shall see you two tomorrow during class."

And they took their leave, weaving through staircases and tapestries until they came across a painting of a small woman holding a vase of flowers. "Password?" she asked.

"Uh…we weren't given one," Hermione said wringing her hands.

"Silly girl, you get to choose one," she said.

"Draco is sexy!" Malfoy called out quickly. Hermione turned around and glared at him, raising an eyebrow and scoffing. The portrait nodded and swung forward. Malfoy chuckled at the blush rising on Hermione's face as she followed him into the dormitory.

She had to admit, she had grown accustomed to Malfoy's chambers in the Manor, and she was not disappointed. The couches were leather, just like the ones in Malfoy's room, the bookshelf was even bigger than his, and the fire looked positively inviting. The spiral staircase in the corner reminded her of the Gryffindor common room, and she suddenly remembered that she forgot to talk to anyone. Ron and Harry were probably worried sick.

She ran up the spiral staircase and into the room on the left. There was a scroll hanging from the doorknob. It was written in Dumbledore's friendly cursive.

"Dear Head Boy or Girl,

Feel free to tailor this room to your liking. Just think of what you want and it will appear. Don't think too much however. You can only change the room a certain amount of times before it stays that way, much like your face if you keep your eyes crossed for too long.

Well, pip pip, you have classes tomorrow.

Yours most sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore"

Hermione grinned, then closed her eyes and thought hard. When she opened them, the walls were scarlet, the four poster was gold, and her trunk appeared at the foot of her bed. She laid on her bed and felt off.

Something wasn't right. She closed her eyes again and let her mind drift to the room she was most comfortable in. When she opened her eyes, she gasped.

The four poster was fitted in black silk. Silver and blue tapestries hung from the walls. A small couch appeared in the corner, with her trunk as a coffee table.

Her room looked just like Malfoy's. She quickly ran out of the bedroom, slammed the door behind her, and leaned against it, panting heavily. This was freaking her out! Malfoy stood at the other door, reading the scroll that was hanging from his doorknob.

"What's up with you?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said. "I'm just losing my mind, that's all."

Malfoy smirked. "Really?" she nodded. "Let's see your room, then," he said, closing the distance between him and her door in three long strides. She pressed herself against the door, as if that would keep him away.

"Come on, Granger, let's see."

"No!" she shook her head emphatically. "Do you ever respect people's privacy?" she asked.

He just stared at her. "Oh come on, surely you can come up with something better than that. Do you have my poster hanging on the wall?"

She blushed bright red.

"You do!" he chuckled.

"I do not!"

"Then let me see!" He reached around her and turned the knob. She had pressed herself so far against the door she tumbled into the room, successfully leaving the path clear for Malfoy.

"Wow. You take decorating ideas from the best," he said calmly. She just stared at his impassive profile.

"That's it?" she said. "No jokes, no making fun?"

He turned to her and the corners of his mouth twitched. "Are you comfortable in here or what?" he asked.

She just nodded a little.

"I figured it would be decorated like Weasley's room, that's all," his smirk grew.

"Oh get out!"

He laughed again and obliged, letting her slam the door behind him. She closed her eyes and imagined Ron's room. When she opened her eyes, she grimaced. The piles of stuff everywhere made her head pound. She quickly thought of Malfoy's room again and breathed a sigh of relief. The room did calm her now. Although sleeping in the bed she normally saw Malfoy in made her a little uncomfortable.

She showered, changed, and climbed into bed. She heard Malfoy turn on the water in the shower and tried to ignore it. But she stared at the ceiling until the water shut off, and even longer after that. She tried closing her eyes and shutting all thought out of her brain, she tried counting sheep, even though she thought that was rubbish. She tried reading. She just couldn't sleep in this bed. It wasn't going to happen.

She ambled over to the couch, almost tripping over her trunk in the process, and curled up on it, much like she used to do before. Immediately, she started drifting off to sleep. Until she heard a thump come from Malfoy's room.

She jumped up, wrapped a blanket around herself, and snuck into Malfoy's room from the connecting bathroom, careful not to make any noise, even though it didn't matter. Malfoy was a heavy sleeper.

He was having another nightmare, she could tell. This time, he had knocked something off of his nightstand. Hermione smiled as she looked around. The room was just like his in the Manor, and just like hers next door. She picked up the picture frame he had knocked to the ground and put it on the top of his trunk, out of his reach. It was a picture of his mother, with Mittens beside her. It had to have been taken when Malfoy was only a few years old, because Mittens' bandages on her hands were almost pristine white, and Narcissa Malfoy looked younger, much unlike the weary version of herself floating around the Manor now.

She hurried to his side and untangled him as much as she could from the silk sheets, placing her head on his lap like she had before. "Malfoy!" she said, slapping his face lightly. When he reached out, she caught his hand so he couldn't scratch her. But his other hand came up almost as fast, but he scratched her neck instead of her face. She sighed.

"Malfoy!"

He opened his eyes, and tried to suppress a sob. She smiled wearily down at him, and let go of his hand. But he wouldn't let go of her. He closed his eyes for a second to take a deep breath, then turned his face away from her so she couldn't see him cry.

"Malfoy? Can you tell me what the dream was about?" she asked. He didn't answer her. She snaked her arm around his shoulders and pulled him upright so they were sitting side by side against the headboard.

"Please."

He started speaking and she jumped. She hadn't expected him to say anything.

"I'm walking through a hallway in the Manor, dressed in the finest clothes I own, because the Dark Lord ordered it so. My father is calling my name, and my mother looks scared. We go into the ballroom, and the Dark Lord is sitting on his throne, as usual, and everyone is looking at me. Aunt Bella says she's proud of me, and my father claps me on the back.

"The Dark Lord asks me to step forward and hold out my arm. I refuse, and tell him I don't want the Mark. He crucios me, and I fall. I refuse to scream. So he grabs my mother and crucios her until she starts screaming. I try to get up and help her, but Bella holds me back. I'm calling for her, crying like a child, and my father is disgusted with me for embarrassing the Malfoy name.

"Malfoy's don't cry. Malfoy's are stone. Finally, my mother's screams stop. She's dead, lying on the floor, and no one cares. No one but me. And the Dark Lord stares into my eyes, and I can feel my soul dying inside. He asks my why I don't want the Mark if I completed my mission. And he shows me your dead body."

Hermione looked up quickly, her stomach plummeting. She didn't know when her hand had found Malfoy's or who had taken whose hand, but he squeezed it quickly.

"That's my mission. I'm supposed to kill you. And when I do, I get the Mark." She tried to let go of his hand, but he pulled her back down next to him. "But you saved my life, Granger. I could never kill you. And I won't. And I don't want the Mark. I've seen what happens to people after they get it. They go crazy." He took a deep, shuddering breath, loosening more tears behind his eyes. "I won't hurt you. Trust me."

She sobbed once, and Malfoy wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Come into my room," she said.

Malfoy had the shadow of a smirk on his face. "Why?"

"Because I can't sleep without you in there." She said, trying not to sound too freaky. "Please Malfoy. I have lessons tomorrow."

"Ok fine."

Ten minutes later, Hermione Granger was fast asleep on the comfortable couch she had grown accustomed to. Malfoy shook his head and waved his wand, transforming the couch into a bed.

"Crazy girl."

Hogwarts was in an uproar already. There were a flurry of rumors going around.

One said that Hermione Granger was actually a pureblood and Draco Malfoy was now betrothed to her.

Another was they just had lots of sex all the time and now couldn't be apart for more than a minute.

Another was Malfoy was trying to make Pansy Parkinson jealous by dating a Mudblood. Although that rumor was started by Pansy herself.

Another was Hermione was a part of the Dark side now.

Another was Malfoy was using Hermione to get to Harry Potter.

Another was Malfoy was using Hermione to make Ronald Weasley mad.

But no one had the thought that maybe Hermione and Draco just liked each other's company. Not that they would actually admit that out loud. No one thought that maybe Hermione and Draco were planning the Halloween ball. But Hermione and Draco kept it a huge secret. The only time they spoke of it was in their Tower or to Professor McGonagall.

The only time they had even spoken to McGonagall about it was to tell her the theme. "When Hell Freezes Over."

Hermione thought it was ingenious, since it was her idea. Malfoy secretly thought it was ingenious too, but he wasn't about to tell her that.

"Why can't it just be about hell? Why does there have to be ice brought into it?" he badgered her for the millionth time.

"Malfoy! Shut up!"

Malfoy chuckled, and Hermione just stuck her tongue out.

"Hermione, can I talk to you?"

"Sure, Ronald," she said, and left Malfoy sitting at a table in the library.

"What's up?" she asked. Ron crossed his arms over his chest, and Hermione knew what was coming.

"Oh, come on, Ronald. He's Head Boy! We're working on something very important," she put her hands on her hips and just glared at him.

"Do you even know what the rumors are going around school?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Surely you don't believe that rubbish! It is so far-fetched, I bet even the teachers laugh about it."

"Hermione, I don't trust this guy, and you don't either. I don't know what kind of SPELL he cast on you, but you hate him!"

"Of course I do, Ronald, but that doesn't change the fact that I have to work with him. Now will you calm down? This is getting ridiculous," she opened her arms, inviting him in for a hug.

He hugged her close and lifted her chin to kiss her. He ran his tongue around her bottom lip and poked it into her mouth, running it over her teeth and exploring her mouth hungrily. His hands that had been on her waist started inching up her shirt to her breasts. She pulled away and placed her hands on his chest.

He pulled her to him again, leaving her hands on his chest, this time his hands roaming down to fasten themselves into the back pockets of her jeans.

"Ron, stop."

"Come on, Hermione. Don't you love me?"

She blinked. "Of course I do."

He grabbed her hands and tugged. "Then let's go. Take the next step."

She frowned at him. "I'm…I'm not ready," she stammered, a blush rising to her cheeks.

Ron dropped her hand. "I thought you loved me," he said.

She lowered her eyes. "I…I do. Just…give me some time," she said.

When she looked up, he was walking away from her. She sighed heavily, and returned to the library, where Malfoy was waiting, undoubtedly to argue with her about the theme again.

Minerva McGonagall was afraid. Albus Dumbledore looked troubled. He was always calm, always collected. But when he summoned her to his office that evening, he looked preoccupied.

"Minerva, another Prophecy has come to my attention, and I thought I should share it with you," he said.

McGonagall was surprised. Albus never shared anything unless it was absolutely necessary.

"The final Horcrux cannot be destroyed by our young Mr. Potter."

"What?"

"There are two students that must come together, use their amazing intellect, and only together, when they are one, can they find and destroy the final Horcrux, leaving Voldemort mortal for Mr. Potter."

"Who is it?"

"They must not be informed yet."

"Albus!"

"It is crucial, Minerva. You must not tell them."

"Tell me!"

"It is young Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy."

A/N: I WIN!!!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hey you guys. Just updating again. I know, I'm on a roll. But I'm writing this because I'm super stressed out right now, and I really needed just some time where I could just lose myself in something that wasn't reality. Moving on to something not so depressing...Chapter Eight is going to be the best chapter of the ten that I have planned so far. I'm serious. I hope you guys love it, but you still have to get through this one before you can get there…and I have to write it too.

Disclaimer: I only wish to claim happiness, but that's getting harder and harder.

Chapter Seven: Gag Me Moments

"Why didn't you tell us about the Halloween Ball, Hermione?" Harry asked, walking alongside Ron, who was holding Hermione's hand like it was a lifeline. She had tried to shake him off; the feeling of him holding her hand like that reminded her of Malfoy, and she felt guilty about thinking about the handsome blonde while dating Ron.

"I was told not to," she said, laughing. "McGonagall said me and Malfoy had to start planning it on our own, and then the prefects would help us." She turned to Ron. "That means you have to help," she said, poking him in the chest.

"I knew dating the Head Girl wouldn't get me any perks at all," he said, kissing her hungrily. Hermione allowed him a few seconds, then pushed him away.

"I have to get to Arithmancy," she said, backing up.

"Not for another five minutes," Ron said, grabbing her hand. Harry turned red and took his leave, taking another route to the common room, where the boys had a free period.

Ron yanked Hermione into an empty classroom and pushed her against the door.

"Ron, stop it," she said, angry of how weak her voice sounded.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron said, unbuttoning her shirt. Hermione tried to ignore him, and remembered when she realized that her wardrobe had been replaced by Mittens right before she and Malfoy had left for the station. The skirts were all shorter, the shirts were all tighter, and Ron seemed to like them. He spent most of his time trying to get her out of them, after all.

"What's this?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. He was pointing to something on her neck.

Hermione reached up and touched the scratch Malfoy had left her. She lowered her eyes and said, "Crookshanks got me."

Ron just stared at it. "It was Malfoy, wasn't it?"

Hermione forced herself to look appalled. "Of course not!"

Ron smiled. "Let me kiss it and make it better," he said in his stupid child voice.

"Ronald. Get off me!" she said, pushing him in the chest. He only moved back a step and laughed.

"You love me Hermione. You can't hold out on me forever." He said, trying to move towards her again.

She pulled out her wand and pointed it at his chest. "Ron. I have class to get to. Please. Stop this."

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Fine," he said petulantly. He let her leave and stayed behind in the classroom for a few minutes, mulling over her actions. There was something wrong with Hermione, there was. Maybe it was the fact that she was living with Malfoy now. She was always up for snogging before Malfoy showed up. Ron growled and ran his fingers through his hair.

Hermione fidgeted all through Arithmancy, staring off into space, and tapping her foot. Malfoy tried to get her attention for something for the Ball, but she just jumped violently and ran out of the room right when the class was dismissed. Malfoy frowned and headed down to the Great Hall for lunch, scanning the Gryffindor table hurriedly before he sat down. When he saw no curly brown hair, he u-turned and went to his Tower instead. If she wasn't there, she was in the Library.

When he opened the portrait hole, she was sitting on the couch, reading a letter she had just taken off the foot of a peaky looking tawny owl, who was nipping at her fingers as she moved them nimbly around its head, teasing it.

"Granger," Malfoy said. "You ok?" She ignored him for a second, but held her hand up to show that she had heard him.

She set the letter down next to a book she had been reading last night. It had been so dark in the common room that Malfoy hadn't been able to catch the title. The title was: Moonlight Terrors: What to do about Werewolves. He felt a smile tug at his lips. She was looking up ways to help him take down Greyback.

She smiled at him, if a little uneasily, and his heart thudded. Merlin's beard, did he like Granger?

Well, it wasn't too hard to comprehend. She was pretty, smart, witty, compassionate…

But also stubborn, self-righteous, and a Mudblood.

But he was stubborn, self-righteous, and a pureblood. Really, how much difference was there?

Merlin's beard. He liked Granger. Life was starting to get interesting.

"Lupin says its time for those stitches to come out," Hermione said, setting the letter down.

Malfoy took a step back. "So we're going to Madame Pomfrey, right?" he asked, knowing it was futile.

"Do you want to explain that to her?" she said. "No, I'm going to do it."

Malfoy hesitated. "Do…do you know how?"

Hermione shrugged. "It can't be too hard."

Malfoy gulped.

*******************

Ginny Weasley sat in the Library, much like her best friend, now MIA Hermione Granger used to do all the time. She was flipping mindlessly through a book, looking for interesting pictures. She didn't have the attention span for reading stuff all the time.

She had settled on a page with a picture of a man looking like he was in horrible pain when someone sat down next to her. She glanced up, widened her eyes, and quickly looked back down. Blaise Zambini chuckled.

"Oh come on Weasley, you're not afraid of me, are you?" he said, raising an eyebrow. His blue eyes shimmered against his cashew colored skin, and his black wavy hair fell into his eyes. Looks wise, he was an eleven out of ten, but sometimes, his personality left much to be desired. Like now.

"I have a first name, you know," Ginny said, refusing to meet his eyes. It seemed it was a prerequisite for all Slytherins to have really tantalizing eyes. "It's Ginny."

Blaise nodded. "Right, it must be hard to just call you Weasley. I mean, there are so many other Weasleys all over the place, right?"

Ginny stood up. "Bugger off, Zambini!"

Zambini stood up with her. "Tut tut, Ginny, what happened to using first names?"

"When I dislike someone, I tend to use their last name," Ginny spat. She gathered the book she was reading into her arms and stormed out of the Library. Stupid Slytherins.

"Ginny!"

She closed her eyes, sighed, and turned around. "What?" she asked. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you to be my date to the Halloween Ball," Blaise said.

Ginny crossed her arms over her chest. "Why on earth would I want to go with a little Slytherin snake like you?" she asked.

Blaise stepped so close to her she could feel herself drowning in his blue eyes. His long eyelashes fluttered for a second, like he was going to close his eyes.

"The offer will stand until the end of the week," he said quietly. "Once the week is up, I'll ask someone else. You will be back."

Ginny forced herself to take a step back. "Oh, you think so?"

"I know."

Ginny huffed and walked away, ignoring the smell of Blaise Zambini that seemed to linger on the edge of her senses. She would not go back.

She refused.

****************

Harry Potter was weary. He sat down at the bottom of a flight of stairs just to think. He had whispering girls following him around everywhere, he had Ron talking about Hermione all the time and how she just wouldn't "give it up". Harry shuddered. That was something he really didn't need to hear about. Best friends or not.

Come to think of it, Ron never seemed interested in getting sex from Hermione before. He always just seemed happy to have her as a girlfriend, as a companion. He was always aware of what she wanted, and refused to do anything more. He used to be respectful. But then again, he also used to chew with his mouth open, but that wasn't happening anymore.

Harry took a deep breath. The world was turning upside down. He wished he could talk to Hermione, but she was always either with Ron or Malfoy. Or tending to the sick. Harry briefly wondered if Hermione ever thought of becoming a Healer. That would be a good career for her. He shook his head, trying to stay focused. Hermione, of course, had to plan the ball with Malfoy, but that didn't man she couldn't stop by the Gryffindor common room to have a study session every now and then. Or help Harry with his essays…or write them for him. His and Ron's grades were suffering, and Malfoy and Hermione were always acing everything. But then again, Malfoy was second in the class, so it wasn't exactly off.

Harry shook his head and chuckled to himself. Ron was being possessed and Hermione was in love with Malfoy. Maybe he needed to check himself in to the Hospital Wing.

He was going crazy.

"Harry?"

He looked up. "Oh, hey Luna," he said, scooting over so she could sit next to him.

She obliged, and swung her long blonde hair over her shoulder. Some landed on Harry's shoulder. She smelled like honeysuckle.

He took a deep breath, and Luna waved her hand around his face, looking like she was fanning the air. "Wrackspurt got you again?" she said sympathetically. She smiled, and Harry found himself marveling at how pretty her smile was, and why he hadn't noticed it before.

"Harry, are you ok?" she asked.

"Of course, why do you ask?" he said, shaking his head to clear it.

"Well, you keep looking at me with a funny look on your face, and I just asked you where Ginny was, but you weren't listening."

"Oh. Yeah, I have no idea where Ginny is, sorry," he said hurriedly. "Uh, Luna?'

"Sure Harry, I'll go to the ball with you," she said, standing up.

He smirked. "How did you know I was going to ask you?" he asked.

She smiled. "The Wrackspurts told me."

*********

Malfoy took a few more steps back. "Are you sure you can do this?" he asked Hermione, who tapped a pair of scissors and then a pair of tweezers with her wand to disinfect them.

She smiled, but Malfoy noticed it didn't quite meet her eyes. "Of course I know what I'm doing."

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't believe you."

Hermione locked eyes with him, and Malfoy worried about her for a second. Her eyes looked tired. "Do you trust me?" she asked.

Malfoy nodded once, slowly. Hermione crooked her finger at him, motioning for him to follow. "Then come on," she said. He followed her, trying not to feel naughty when he walked into her bedroom. "Lay on the bed," she said slowly, as if she was talking to a mental patient.

"I'm not dumb, Granger," he said, obliging her.

"Then stop talking like you are," she stuck out her tongue. He gaped at her, acting like he was mortally offended, but on the inside, his innards were buzzing. She didn't look too sad anymore, in fact, they were doing that awkward flirting thing he had grown accustomed to when they were cooped up in the Manor.

She slowly unbuttoned his shirt, her fingers slowly shaking, and removed it. She started snipping the stitches, gently pressing the cold metal of the scissors on his skin to make sure she wouldn't cut him. He thought about making small talk while she was working, but he was mortally afraid to distract her.

Once she was done clipping the stitches, she used the tweezers to pull them out, and he had to brace himself for pain. But none came. She just bent close to his chest, her eyes focused, and moved the thread out slowly and carefully.

"If you want, you can be a little rougher," Malfoy said slowly, so he wouldn't startle her. "It doesn't hurt me."

She looked up, and Malfoy was startled to see her big brown eyes shining with unshed tears. He caught her free hand and squeezed it tightly. "Granger?"

She sniffed, and wiped her eyes angrily. "What Malfoy?"

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Are you…ok?"

She shook her head no, but didn't elaborate, and kept pulling the stitches out. When the last piece was gone, she used her wand to heal the remainder of the gashes. Now his normally alabaster skin had small pinkish colored scars ravaging it, but he still looked flawless. To Hermione, at least.

She dropped the tweezers and the scissors on her trunk top and sat on her couch/bed, and stared at the wall. Malfoy watched her surreptitiously for a little while, and was astounded to see tear tracks on her cheeks.

He stood and sat next to her, not even bothering to put his shirt back on again. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to him. She leaned her head onto his shoulder and sobbed, and he tightened his hold. He may not know what was wrong, but whatever it was, it was hurting her.

He didn't like that.

"It's Weasel, isn't it?" he guessed, thinking of things that could upset her. Weasel, school, and saving the world. Nothing dramatic had happened in class or the world, so it had to be the red-headed Weasel. She didn't reply, but her sobs were answer enough.

Weasel was going down.

Ginny Weasley hated her life. Everywhere she went, she saw girls hanging all over Blaise Zambini. She had to admit, he was dreadfully handsome, but even Gryffindor girls were throwing themselves at him shamelessly. It was just like girls did with Malfoy, except Gryffindor almost always steered clear of Slytherins.

Well, it seemed like hell was freezing over.

She kept a close eye on him during meals and when she caught him in the hallway. The last day of the week, she saw him go into the library. Alone.

"Zambini!" she called out, striding in with her chin up.

"Weasley," he replied wearily.

"Pick me up at the portrait hole at eight. Don't be late," she said.

He grinned goofily at her. "Will do, Miss Ginny."

"Goodbye Blaise."

A/N: I'M STILL DEPRESSED! I went to this party with a guy that was a big jerkoff. I found out he was hooking up with one of my friends that night, and he doesn't have the balls to tell me the truth. I looked way to pretty to be there with him, that's all I have to say. =( review please! Cheer me up!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: You guys are the best readers ever! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, and thanks even more for bringing me out of my depressed moment! Boys ARE stupid. Unless I have quite a few readers who are men, in which case, no offense.

Today's the big CHAPTER! Chapter Eight! This is by far my favorite chapter so far, because so much happens. It will probably be super long, but I'm pretty sure you guys won't have a problem with that, right?

Disclaimer: So this plot is amazing, and it's mine. But that's it.

Chapter Eight: Costumes and Tears

"Hermione, wait!"

Hermione Granger didn't slow her pace. She kept weaving through students like it was a race between her and death, and death was closing in. A student stepped in her way. She shoved them over, growling, "I'm Head Girl," when they looked up at her angrily. She shouldered her way roughly through people, stepping on toes, smashing into bags. Finally, the crowd got so thick she couldn't push her way though anymore. When someone finally caught her arm and spun her around, she ripped her arm out of his grip.

"What do you want from me, Ronald?" she asked. He looked offended, then slightly put out.

"I was going to ask you if you would be my date to the Halloween Ball," he said, not sounding nervous in the least, which was odd for him. Hermione narrowed her eyes. Ron moved differently now, like he had a swagger Malfoy used to have. He moved like he needed a severe reality check.

When she didn't answer, Ron pressed on. "It would be great. We can dance all night, you can dazzle everyone with your beauty, and then after," he wiggled his eyebrows, "we can have some treasured alone time."

Hermione felt her breakfast start making its way up her throat and stepped back a few feet. There was no way she was going to go to the ball with Ron. She would much rather go with—

"Actually, Professor McGonagall said Head Boy and Girl have to go together," she stammered out, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "You know, since we planned most of it together. It's kind of like we're the hosts or something," she finished, hoping her excuse didn't sound too implausible.

Ron's ears tinged red, but he didn't reply. "McGonagall is a crazy bugger," he muttered. "Surely she knows you two hate each other, right?"

"I'm sure she's gathered that, Ron."

"Well," he said, "Save me some dances. We'll still get our alone time."

Hermione watched him walk away with her head tilted. Something was up with Ron, but she didn't want to stick close enough to do any investigating. She took the stairs two at a time up to the Tower, hoping against hope that Malfoy didn't already have a date because if he did, then she was surely going to have to fake sick and pitch herself off the Astronomy Tower. She grimaced at the thought.

*********

Harry Potter was confused. He was sitting with Luna in the library, trying to pick costumes for the Halloween Ball. She was mindlessly flipping through the Quibbler, and he was trying to name couples they could dress as. Every suggestion he made had a counter-suggestion, each more ridiculous than the last.

"We could be Romeo and Juliet," he said.

"We should be Wrackspurts!"

"…or…"

"Crumple Horned-Snorcacks!" she clapped her hands excitedly, and Harry couldn't help but smile at her. She was so excited, and so adorable. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

She paused. "What was that for?"

"I felt it was appropriate," he said with a shrug.

She smiled warmly, then continued to rattle off costume ideas. He half-listened, hoping she would eventually run out of imaginary creatures. He once considered saying they should be a pair of threstrals, but then changed his mind, thinking she might actually like that idea.

"I have one you would like, Harry," she said carefully, as if debating whether she was going to say it or not.

"If it's Wrackspurts again, I'm not interested," he grumbled good-naturedly.

"No. You know some Muggle stories, right?" she asked. He nodded. "We could be Cinderella and Prince Charming." She gathered all of her long blonde hair into a messy updo and secured it with an elastic. Harry could see her in a light blue gown with the glass slippers. She would be beautiful.

He grinned at her. "That's the best idea you've had all night," he said.

She smiled back and kissed his nose tenderly before standing up. "See? I knew you could be charming."

*********

Hermione bounced into the common room, ecstatic to see Malfoy lounging on the sofa with his feet propped up on the coffee table and a plate of food on his lap. When he saw her grinning at him, he put aside his Arithmancy book and raised an eyebrow at her, silently telling her she had his permission to speak.

"Do you have a date for the Halloween Ball?" she asked, suddenly nervous. She grabbed a piece of her tamed hair and tugged at it. He just stared at her for a second, and she let the hair go, letting it spring back into place.

"I've been asked," he said nonchalantly. "I figured you would be going with Weasel."

She shrugged, mimicking his flippant attitude. "Well, I'm sure Ron's going with someone else, or something. I figured since, you know, you haven't really been seeing eye to eye with the Slytherins—"

"You figured that since I haven't been hanging out with my normal friends, that you needed to pity me?" He set his plate aside and sat up a little straighter.

Hermione dropped her voice, as though she had to talk some sense into him. "I told you I would never pity you," she said. "I told you, that night that you almost died, that I would never pity you."

But Malfoy wasn't convinced. He stood up and walked toward her, making her back up a few steps. "Or did Weasel ask someone else because you two have been fighting? Are you choosing me as a second choice or what?" His voice was getting progressively louder, and Hermione felt her temper rise.

"Well you can forget it, Granger. I don't want your pity, and I don't want to be your date."

*********

Blaise Zambini plopped down into a seat next to Ginny Weasley in the far corner of the library. She jumped a little, then smiled at him. He grinned back, showcasing his perfect white teeth. She went back to reading, thinking he was only trying to unnerve her. But when he didn't leave, she sighed and put the book down.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked, trying hard to be polite. With Blaise, it was always difficult to be anything but sarcastic and nasty.

He placed his chiseled chin on the heel of his hand and leaned forward. "Well, since you are my date to the Halloween Ball, I figured we should figure out what we're going as."

"You could go as a snake, and I could go as a snake charmer," she suggested sarcastically.

He smirked at her. "Technically, I charmed you," he pointed out. "So, shouldn't it be vise versa?"

She frowned at him. "Shut up Zambini."

"Ooh, back to last names, are we Weasley?" he taunted. She raised an eyebrow.

"Why don't you go as Grindlewald?" she asked, back to sarcasm.

"And you'll go as who, Grindlewald's bride?" he asked incredulously. "Merlin, you should have some better suggestions than that!"

She slapped his thick bicep. "I was kidding."

He rubbed his arm in mock hurt. "I know, so was I."

She laughed, then actually thought about a costume. "We could be Adam and Eve," she said tentatively.

Blaise wiggled his eyebrows. "Does that mean you'll be naked?" he asked shrewdly.

She punched him again, this time hard. "Shut up! New idea."

"We could be Romeo and Juliet," he suggested.

She paused. "Who are Romeo and Juliet?"

"They're a couple from a play. I can't remember who wrote it, something having to do with a lance or a spear. Anyway, their family and their friends hate each other, but they elope anyway, because they're in love."

She thought about it. "That's slightly ingenious."

He leaned over and kissed her softly. When he broke apart, her eyes were still closed. He whispered, "Don't forget it."

*********

Ronald Weasley was a very angry man. He wondered briefly if Hermione would be mad if he asked another girl to be his date to the ball, then quickly decided he didn't care. He didn't care in the least. So he had been scouting girls all day long, and he couldn't find one girl he would rather take to the ball than Hermione. Well, he saw plenty of pretty girls, but he didn't see any that would consent to go with him.

He brooded his predicament in a chair by the fire in the common room. If he showed up to this thing without a date, he would be a laughingstock! Even Ginny and Harry had dates, though the weren't each other. Even bloody Malfoy had a date!

Lavender Brown leaned on the armrest of his chair. "Hey Ron, what's up? You look down."

He gazed up at her, her light brown hair falling in soft waves around her pretty face. Her big blue eyes were widened in concern, and he felt himself flashing back to their relationship back in sixth year. She had been clingy and obsessive, but after a few weeks. He only had to take her out one night. One night couldn't be that bad, right? And she was mighty pretty…

"Hey Lav, do you want to be my date to the Halloween ball?" he asked.

She squealed and threw her arms around him. "I was so hoping you would ask me!" He grimaced.

"Who will we go as?" he asked, hoping she kept her squealing volume down.

She tapped her manicured finger against her chin and pondered the thought. She was an expert party planner and a girl, so figuring out a costume shouldn't be too hard, right? She stared at him for a minute, then contemplated herself in her compact mirror.

"We can go as Dionysus and Aphrodite!" she said excitedly. Ron tried to smile, but it came off as more of a wince.

She stood up and started pacing in front of him. "I can wear a really pretty white dress, and you'll have to wear white of course…maybe a few fig leaves in your hair," she mussed his red hair affectionately. "I'll curl my hair, maybe I'll curl yours too—"

"What?!"

"Oh come on Ron, it'll look good. I'm an expert."

Ron shook his head when she turned around. Girls were going to be the death of him.

*********

A/N: HERE'S THE GOOD PART!

Malfoy stomped up the steps to the spiral staircase up to his room and slammed the door behind him. He leaned against it and closed his eyes. He had become way too angry way too fast down there. If he kept on like that, Granger was surely going to figure out that he had a little, itty-bitty crush on her.

Besides, if Weasel saw him there with his girlfriend, he sneered at the thought, he would surely be in the hospital wing. He could probably over power Weasel and maybe Potter, if they fought fair, but he couldn't overtake all of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Unfortunately, Hermione Granger was mighty well liked in every house but Slytherin.

Even more unfortunately, he was a part of Slytherin.

What would everyone say if he showed up with Granger on his arm? Would they laugh at them? Probably. He spent six years of his life calling her a Mudblood and trying to undermine every plan the Golden Trio had ever had. If they so much as danced, the world would go awry.

The Hogwarts world, that is.

But Merlin, he wanted to go with her. He wanted to dance with her. He wanted to get her punch, tease her about her costume, walk her back to the Tower, kiss her goodnight, and see her the next day and reminisce about what happened the night before. He wanted to have that with her, so much, but there were way too many obstacles.

Draco Malfoy was physically strong, not emotionally strong. Emotionally, he was weaker then Longbottom.

All too soon, a knock came at his door. He knew it was her, and he knew she wasn't going to go away until he opened the door and talked to her. She was relentless, and stubborn. It was something he liked about her. He allowed himself a few more moments of peace before the tirade. He placed his hand on the doorknob, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

What he saw was not what he expected. He expected a flurry of insults, maybe a few curses and swearwords, and a demand for an explanation. But instead, he found a blushing, nervous, fidgeting teenage girl on the other side of the door, no wand in hand, no insults, and no demands.

"I just wanted to talk to you," she said softly.

He thought briefly what she would do if he shut the door in her face and refused. She didn't look like she was in any condition to make him let her in. But then again, she didn't look like she was in any condition to handle an insult like that at all.

He stepped aside and she followed him in, taking a seat on the couch that was undoubtedly sitting in her room too. It was her comfort zone.

"You are not my second choice," she began. She looked down at her hands, and Malfoy wanted to ask her to elaborate.

"Ron asked me today, but I told him McGonagall said you and I had to go together."

"Why?" he asked, trying hard not to sound rude. She didn't answer, but it seemed like she didn't have anything else to say. Malfoy tried, he really did, not to press her. But the longer she stayed silent, the more he wanted to shake her.

"Merlin's beard Granger, either you tell me, or I'm going to leave you in here and lock myself in the bathroom and never let you in!"

She stood up, her eyes flashing. Finally, the Granger he knew and missed. "It's really none of your business, Malfoy," she spat.

"Well, I think it is my business, if you want me to play along," he said, crossing his arms over his well defined chest.

She mimicked his stance. "Is it really so hard that you could actually do a favor for someone without knowing all the details?"

He paused, as if to consider, then nodded. "Yeah, a little."

She growled. "Malfoy, you are ridiculous. I wouldn't ask this if it wasn't important. I know you would rather go with someone other than a bushy haired, Mudblood Gryffindor," Malfoy flinched at her choice of words, "but this matters. I really need you to be understanding right now."

He threw up his hands in frustration. "I need you to tell me what's going on!"

She started pacing. "Look, I've tried to stop him, I've tried to talk sense into him, and he's just not listening. He just doesn't want to hear what I have to say. I'm at my wit's end, Malfoy." She stopped pacing and looked at him.

"I can't sleep. I can barely eat, I can barely study," she looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown. Malfoy had noticed that she had dark circles under her eyes, and that she wasn't reading or answering questions as often as she used to, but only now did he notice that the form fitting clothes she used to wear weren't filled out the way they used to be.

She looked sickly.

"Tell me, Granger, and don't pussyfoot around it!"

"He wants to have sex with me!"

Malfoy stopped breathing. He closed his eyes, and tried to take a deep breath. He was already regretting bugging her. He didn't think he could hear this without punching Weasel. Or himself.

"I'm not ready. I told him I'm not. He used to be so nice, and respectful. He's never acted like this before. And now all he wants to do is take my clothes off!"

Malfoy clenched his fists.

"I can't stop him for much longer. He's getting angrier! Look!" she lifted up her shirt, and Malfoy tried to make himself look away, but couldn't. There were fingerprint bruises on her hipbones, probably where he had grabbed her to untuck her shirt.

"He said he wanted to have alone time with me, and the only way I could get him to leave me alone for at least a little while was to tell him I was going with you. But it's not working because he still wants to!"

Malfoy tried to look impassive, but he felt his mask crumbling at the forlorn look on Hermione's face.

"I don't want him to get me alone! I don't know what he'll do to me!"

She sobbed, and her voice cracked. "Draco, I need your help," she looked up at him, and her a few more tears leaked from her eyes. "Please."

Draco stepped in front of her, and reached up to wipe her tears away. "Hermione," he whispered softly.

Hermione shivered, suddenly filled with a flashback to her dream. Without even thinking, she wrapped her arms around Draco Malfoy's neck and kissed him.

Malfoy blinked, then closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist. He knew this was so wrong. She was a Gryffindor, a Muggle-born. She had a boyfriend, for crying out loud. She was Hermione Granger!

She was also an extremely good kisser.

He pulled away first, and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "I won't let him hurt you," he said. "I promise."

A/N: So, did you guys like it? It gets better too! Chapter Nine is going to be another big chapter because of all the big plot devices. But still, chapter eight is the favorite. Oh, by the way, I have a manager that is willing to help me get published. But I want you guys to review and tell me if you would read a book about a girl who gets celebrity status and has to maneuver her way through it practically alone because she only has a few real friends, and everyone just wants a piece of her fame. Let me know!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I love my readers. I love my readers. I love my readers. Can you guess why? Because you guys give me oodles of reviews! And you also gave me a little bit of feedback on a book idea. That was one of my ideas for a book. Another has to do with six best friends that are freshman at a haute boarding school. They end up becoming super popular. So popular, in fact, that the upperclassmen conspire to take them down. (Eh, eh?) And another is about a daughter of a wealthy lawyer who gets kidnapped, then rescued. She then has to go undercover and try to figure out who attacked her and why and try to bring them to justice. Let me know which idea you like more, and I'll get started writing! Moving on to the chapter now:

OH WAIT! I got my pictures back from my photo shoot! Anyone who wants a peek, let me know in a review.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Only JKR's. I'm super jealous.

Chapter Nine: Expensive Fights, Brought to You by Hogwarts

Tonight was the night. The night of the ball, that is. Everywhere, there were teenage girls running amok through their common rooms, into different girls' rooms, looking for jewelry someone might have borrowed, or asking someone to help them with their hair, or asking them if their dress made them look like a hag. Insecurity was in the air, and fights were brewing.

Except in Hermione Granger's room. Luna, Ginny, and Hermione were all cross legged on the bed, their faces painted different colors of moisturizing masks to help their skin looks perfect for that night. Hermione's was green, avocado honey, Ginny's was purple, eggplant, and Luna's was white. They weren't sure what Luna's mask was for, but she insisted it was going to help. It looked kind of like Luna had smeared her face with chalk.

Hermione's unruly curls, Ginny's fiery long locks, and Luna's flaxen waves were all piled on top of their heads like Hershey's kisses were attached to the top of their heads. Their wet hair was dripping down their necks and onto their robes, but all three girls ignored it. Hermione fidgeted with her hair, her robe, and her mask before she finally decided to speak. She wiped her now green finger on her pink robe and cleared her throat.

Ginny and Luna looked up and leaned forward. "What happened?" Ginny asked.

Hermione's hands slicked with sweat, and her fingernails itched to be bitten. "I have something to tell you guys, but you have to promise to listen until I'm finished, and promise you won't be too mad."

Luna cocked her head to the side. "Too mad? I never get mad."

"But I do," Ginny already looked dangerous. "I promise."

Hermione looked at the black silk on her bed. "Over the summer holiday, when I was gone from the Burrow, I told Ron and Harry that I was tending to the sick. That wasn't a lie. The person I was taking care of was sick. He almost died quite a few times, in fact. If it hadn't been for me, he would have died. I called Lupin, and we had to sew him up, Muggle-style."

Luna's mouth dropped open a little. Ginny cocked her head to the side. "But why? What happened to him?"

"He was attacked by Fenrir Greyback." Ginny gasped. "His chest was cut open, his stomach. He's healed now, but he has scars all over his torso."

"Who was it?" Luna asked tentatively. Hermione ignored her and kept on talking.

"Now, you guys cannot tell Harry or Ron what I've told you, or what I'm about to tell you. I need you guys to keep this a secret. Take it to the grave," She resisted the urge to twirl her hair around her finger and kept her hands by her side.

"While I was taking care of him, I started to," she hesitated, "feel something for him. He was attacked, he's been tortured, his family torn apart. He has no friends, only a few family members that love him, and me." She let out a deep sigh.

"Who is it?" Ginny asked, more forcefully this time.

"I'll tell you when I'm done. And Ron has been acting weird. Has anyone else noticed? He's been eating politely, acting more rash, and—" she stopped again, wondering if she had the guts to say what she wanted out loud.

"He's been disrespecting you, hasn't he?" Luna saved her the trouble.

Hermione nodded, trying to keep her eyes dry.

Ginny looked confused. "What? I don't get it."

"He's been trying to make me have sex with him," Hermione said softly, looking at her hands. Luna reached over and rubbed soothing circles on her back.

Ginny stood up. "I'm going to kill him!" She actually strode over to the door before Luna called her back.

"You promised," she reminded her.

Ginny sighed, and sat down. "Did he hurt you?" she asked.

Hermione untied her robe and exposed her slim stomach, complete with the bruises on her hip bones.

Luna stood up. "Ok, now I'm with you, Ginny, let's get him!"

Hermione tied her robe quickly. "You guys, seriously. Don't. I imagine nothing we do will help."

Luna nodded sagely.

"Will you tell us who it was already that you have feelings for?" Ginny made an exaggerated love-sick face. "The one you nursed back to health, the one with the sad, broken family—"

"It's Malfoy."

"He doesn't have a broken family! He has a broken brain!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ginny, think past all the mean things he's said to you, and think about the person under all that animosity."

"I still see a prejudiced, stubborn git."

"He hasn't called me a Mudblood since the battle," Hermione pointed out. "He's let me cry on his shoulder, he let me coerce him into being my date to the Halloween ball, and—"

"And?" Luna prompted.

"He kissed me."

Ginny made a face. "Gross!"

"Actually, I kissed him, but that's just a technicality. The point is, he kissed me back," Hermione looked triumphant.

"Well, if he makes you happy, I'm fine with it," Luna said, peeling off a small piece of her mask. Hermione looked at Ginny hopefully.

"I'm withholding my judgment."

"Fair enough."

*********

Draco Malfoy was excited. Actually excited. He hadn't been excited since he was a child. He clutched his two packages tighter in anticipation. He had told Granger, Hermione, he corrected himself, that he would take care of their costumes. He had decided the cliché angel and devil costumes would suit them well. However, he decided to make Hermione the devil instead of him.

He would be out of his comfort zone, wearing white, but he liked the way she looked in black. She was soft and pretty most of the time, but in black she was dark and sexy. He hooked the costume on the doorknob of her room, where he could hear giggling and squealing. However, he didn't hear Hermione's voice among them.

He knocked politely, and waited until Ginny Weasley opened the door, red faced and laughing. She paused when she saw him.

"Hey, Malfoy," she said, sounding like she was making an effort to sound nice. "Hermione's washing her face. She'll be out in a minute."

"Oh-kay," he said, drawing out the word.

She stepped aside. "Would you like to come in?" she asked.

He almost made a retort that he practically lived in here, but he figured Weaselette would take it the wrong way. Loony was sitting on the bed, flipping through an Ancient Runes textbook that Draco recognized as his own. He thought about grabbing it, but figured she might not have noticed.

"So," Luna said, looking up. "What are your intentions with Hermione?" she asked, looking more serious and lucid than he had ever seen her.

He froze, fighting with his fight or flight reflex. Thankfully, Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, untying her long curly hair and wiping her clear face with a towel. He smiled at her, then caught himself and made his face impassive. She raised her eyebrows at him too, then composed herself.

"Hello, Draco," she said carefully.

"I left your costume on the door," he said smoothly, acting like he was speaking to her without an audience.

"Thanks," she said, fluttering her eyelashes. Was that on purpose? Probably not. Everything about her was so effortless, it was irritating.

He nodded and left, pausing outside the door to listen.

"Still reserving judgment?" he heard her ask.

There was silence for a second, then Ginny responded. "Ok, so if you look at him without all the prejudice and stubbornness, he's really hot."

Hermione laughed. "I thought that myself, funnily enough."

Malfoy smirked, and walked away.

*********

Ron Weasley contemplated his hair in the mirror. He despised himself with curly hair. He liked his long, shaggy, straight hair without pink rollers in it. Lavender unhooked one and Ron watched in horror as it bounced, not unlike Hermione's curls.

"Oooh, Ron you look so cute!" she squeaked as she unhooked more and more rollers. Harry watched from his four poster, and he looked like he was trying desperately hard not to laugh. He made a face at him, daring him to laugh out loud.

"Don't look at me like that, they'll fall some. That's why we did this early," she reasoned, ruffling his hair.

She left him and Harry alone, and Ron tentatively touched his curls. Harry finally cracked up.

He glared at him.

"I'm sorry, mate, but you should see your face," Harry said, clutching his side.

Ron punched his arm.

*********

"So, when are you going to tell him?" Parvati asked, grabbing the body glitter off the dresser.

"At the dance," Lavender said, snatching the glitter from Parvati and sprinkling some along her cleavage and collarbone. "I figure it will be so much more dramatic if he finds out his precious girlfriend is banging the enemy at the dance."

"I wonder how she managed to get him, though," Parvati mused, grabbing the glitter off the dresser again. "He is so hot."

Lavender sneered. "Does it matter? What matters is she's two timing Ron. If I can't have him, she can't either. Especially if she's working her way through the purebloods." She snatched the glitter back.

"You said it sister."

*********

Hermione closed her eyes against the flurry of hairspray that assaulted her hair and swirled around her face. She coughed, and Luna and Ginny laughed. Luna already had her long blonde hair curled, deciding at the last minute to forgo pinning all her hair up. Her eyes were lined subtly in black liner, and her lips shimmered the palest pink. Ginny's long red hair was stick straight, her lips shined, but other than that, she was naturally beautiful. Now they were working on Hermione.

Her eyes were lined in black liner, her eyelashes curled and slathered in mascara. Luna was currently painting her lips a dark red. Hermione had her eyes closed, afraid to look at her reflection. Ginny was curling her already curly hair and making it look like a tangle of wild curls.

Hermione flinched when Ginny pinned the devil horns in her hair.

Ginny grinned at her. "Draco Malfoy is going to lose it when he sees you."

Hermione grinned, her back to the mirror. "Promise?"

Ginny motioned for her to turn away from the mirror so she couldn't see her reflection. Hermione slipped on the black dress Malfoy had left her, sighing when the black silk slid over her skin. Ginny stepped behind her to tie the dress, only to find out the dress was completely backless. All they could see was bare back.

"Whoa."

"What?" Hermione turned around, and locked eyes with her reflection in the full length mirror.

She was speechless. Her eyes looked large and dramatic, her lips were seductive. Her dress hugged all the right places, and had a slit up the leg to mid-thigh. Suggestive but not slutty. She turned around to the back and saw nothing but her creamy white skin. Her hair was wild, and she could just see the red devil horns poking out of the top.

"You look hot!" Luna said, clapping her hands. Her poufy light blue dress looked exceptionally ordinary compared to her usual attire. But in all honesty, she still looked beautiful.

Ginny's maroon dress was form fitting, and low cut. The long sleeves flared out at the bottom, but the dress was tight all the way to her waist, where it flared out with an emerald green trim.

"You guys all look amazing," she gushed, resisting the urge to touch her hair.

Luna paused right before she picked up her discarded robe from the floor. "Ginny, who's your date?" she asked.

Ginny's face turned pink. Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Come on Gin. It can't be as un-Gryffindor as Draco."

She didn't answer.

She backed herself up to the portrait hole, opened it, and called out Blaise's name as she was fleeing.

Luna looked at Hermione. "Isn't Blaise Zabini a Slytherin?" she asked.

Hermione laughed. "Yes."

*********

Draco Malfoy was nervous. He was scared out of his wits. Not only was he wearing white, but he was waiting for his date, a Muggle-born, that he actually liked. When she stepped down the spiral staircase, he choked. He coughed violently, and had to take in lungfuls of precious air.

She looked perfect.

She stepped in front of him and allowed him to peck her cheek. She looked him up and down and touched his chest lightly. He jumped, and she laughed. "You're nervous," she said matter-of-factly.

He didn't respond.

"It's the white, I think," she said. She tapped her finger against her lips. "Go put on some black. We'll both be devils," she said.

"Oh thank Merlin," he said, and ran up the spiral staircase. Hermione laughed, and took a seat on the couch. Not two minutes later, he was coming down the stairs again, his old swagger back, and looked even more dashingly handsome than she had ever seen him. His hair was shaggy and hanging in front of his eyes. Hermione tapped her devil horns and replicated them, and motioned him to come closer.

He leaned down, and she attached them to the top of his head, saying a quick charm so they wouldn't fall off.

He offered his arm and led her out the portrait hole. "You look mighty sexy today, might I say," he said.

"You look extremely hot, while we're on the subject." He laughed out loud, and Hermione's insides tingled.

They poked fun at each other the whole walk down to the Great Hall, where dozens of couples were milling around, waiting for one couple to walk in first before they followed.

"Milady," Draco said, sweeping his arm wide. She grinned and took his arm, leading the group of students into the Great Hall. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Flitwick were standing inside the doors, greeting students as they entered the Hall.

Even Hermione was astounded. Professor Flitwick had outdone himself with the decorations she had laid out for him. The dance floor looked like an ice rink, complete with fairies flying around to illuminate the dancers, the tables looked like overturned cauldrons, and the drinks looked like lava and the glasses looked like icicles. Hell had frozen over.

Literally.

Ginny looked marvelous on the arm of Blaise Zabini, who looked positively dashing as Romeo. Of course, he had managed to forgo the tights. His dark skin looked magnificent against her creamy pale skin, and her red hair looked like a beacon next to his black locks.

Luna looked like a picture perfect Cinderella, complete with her Prince Charming. Harry was wearing a normal Muggle tuxedo, complete with a bowtie. They were laughing and holding hands.

Ron came in with Lavender. Hermione felt her chest clench, even though she didn't exactly care who Ron was with. Lavender looked innocently pretty in her plain white dress, but Ron looked ridiculous in all white and his hair curled. Hermione wondered briefly if Lavender had done his hair and realized she didn't care. He just looked dumb.

She turned and caught Malfoy's eye. They started cracking up, holding on to each other for support. It was the first time Ginny had ever seen Draco Malfoy genuinely laugh. He looked good when he laughed.

When she caught Hermione's eye, she winked.

Approved.

********

Lavender clung to Ron like a hungry koala bear, and he was already regretting his decision. Not only was Lavender as annoying as ever, people were laughing at him. He hadn't seen Hermione yet. And then there she was, laughing with Malfoy, holding his arm to keep herself upright. Ron clenched his jaw and took a deep breath, fighting the urge to knock all of Malfoy's stupid perfect teeth out.

And then she straightened up, and he forgot what he was thinking. Her dress was black. She never wore black unless she had to. It clung to her curves, and when she stepped, he caught a tantalizing glance of her thigh. Her hair was wild, her lips were red.

She looked great.

The music started loudly, with a Muggle song no one had ever heard, except, it seemed, for the Muggle-borns. And Harry.

(Ready?)

Let's have some fun, this beat is sick, I wanna take a ride on your disco stick.

Hermione squealed, and Malfoy frowned at her. She pulled him toward the now huge crowd on the dance floor. "Come on, silly, dance with me!"

He pulled her back so she stopped. "I don't know how to dance to this," he said, embarrassed.

Hermione grabbed his arm and looked around. When she was sure no one was looking, she lowered her hand to his and squeezed. "I'll teach you. Trust me, you'll like it."

He raised an eyebrow, but she pulled him into the throng anyway. With so many people and the lights flashing, he could barely tell which one was Hermione. Maybe that was her point. She leaned close to his ear and yelled "Follow me."

She pressed her back into his chest, grabbed his hands, and put them on her waist. She moved her hips, throwing her hands up in the air and throwing her head back. Malfoy wanted to step away from her, but decided this was as close as he could get to her without kissing her, so he shouldn't waste it. He moved with her, and found himself enjoying the song.

I can see you standing there from across the block with a smile on your mouth and a hand on your—

"Granger!" he yelled. "This is a dirty song!"

She stayed where she was, but brought her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. "Duh."

He smiled and pressed himself closer to her. Near the end of the song, she twirled away from him and pressed herself against him, this time facing him. Her eyelashes were long, and her red lips were parted. He smirked at her. She smirked back. She glanced left, glanced right, and leaned forward and kissed him, only keeping the contact long enough to bite his lower lip.

He growled at her, making his chest vibrate, and she giggled.

********

Ron Weasley was standing on the side of the dance floor with Lavender, waiting for the stupid Muggle song to end. He had seen Hermione go on the floor with Malfoy, but he had lost her in the crowd. Lavender kept saying she wanted to dance, but he kept blowing her off.

Finally, when the song changed to a Wizard one, he led her to the floor and danced. He could see Hermione and Malfoy dancing a few feet away, and couldn't help staring at them. They were both in all black, with devil horns sticking out of their hair.

He was annoyed that Malfoy got to wear something manly and he had to be a god of wine. With curly hair, no less.

Lavender caught him looking. "Do you miss her?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked, momentarily losing his place in the song.

She shrugged. "I mean, it must suck to have your girlfriend stolen by Malfoy. I mean, your worst enemy, no less."

"No," he said. "McGonagall said Head Boy and Girl had to come together."

She laughed. "Is that what she told you?"

Ron just stared at her.

"I saw them at Kings Cross at the beginning of the year. She was standing close to him, and she had her hands on his chest. Have you seen her dress? It's pure silk."

Ron dropped his hands from her waist. He searched out Hermione and Malfoy on the far end of the floor, dancing traditionally.

He stomped over to them, leaving Lavender behind to watch with a satisfied smile on her face.

He tapped on Malfoy's shoulder. "May I cut in?" he asked, his ears still red. Hermione caught his eye and tightened her hold on Malfoy's hand.

Malfoy felt it and felt his defenses go up. "Doubt it, Weasel."

Ron ignored him and grabbed Hermione around the waist. She hissed in pain and he wrenched his hands away from her.

"Nice dress, Hermione. Who bought it for you?"

She didn't miss a beat. "I did."

He shook his head. Malfoy took a step closer to them. He knew what was about to go down, and he was hell bent on preventing it.

"It's pure silk. You can't afford pure silk. Only he can," he pointed at Malfoy, who was so close he had to lean back so Ron's finger wouldn't poke him in the face.

"So what? I'm not rich enough for you so you have to sleep with him to get nice things?" he said, his voice getting louder.

Hermione took a step back. "I didn't sleep with him!" she said back. "How dare you!"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, but she wasn't finished.

"How dare you suggest I be unfaithful."

Ron laughed out loud. "Really? So all this time you've been making me wait and you've been putting out for Malfoy right?"

Malfoy swung.

Hermione yelled at him to stop, but he didn't want to stop beating the Weasel up until he was done breathing. Or speaking, whichever came first.

But Ron reached up and punched him in the stomach, making him gasp for air and move away. Hermione stepped between them, but Malfoy picked her up and moved her out of the line of fire.

Ron went after Malfoy again, but he dodged him and nailed him with a well aimed kick to the side. Ron went down, and Malfoy punched him in the nose, feeling the bones break under his hand.

Ron grabbed his shirt and tore it.

Malfoy stood up and dusted himself off, ready for the rest of the fight. But Ron's eyes were fixed on his torso.

Oh Merlin. The scars.

Ron suddenly turned to Hermione, who started backing up. Harry ran up and glanced at Malfoy, then Ron. He tried to grab Ron's arm, but Ron kept advancing on Hermione. Draco went to get to him, but Harry blocked him.

"He was the one you've been tending to," Ron said lowly, dangerously.

Hermione felt her face pale and her world crumble.

A/N: Yay! The longest chapter done! I think I really like this one too. Maybe my fave, maybe my second fave.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Ok, so I still love everyone who reviewed, and everyone who read the chapter. I didn't get as many reviews as I have before, but I'm still totally cool with that. But if anyone wants to thank someone for getting me to write the next chapter, thank Alley Sajrob. Btw, Alley, have you ever read any of the Clique books by Lisi Harrison? Because she spells EHMAGAWD like that too. Granted, so do I, but I've read all of the books in that series. OH! And speaking of books, I'm in the middle of the second chapter in my book! Yay! Moving on…

Disclaimer: Yeah yeah. You know what's supposed to go hear. Let me keep my dignity and not type it out.

Chapter Ten:

"It was him," Harry says, letting go of Malfoy, who just stood there, unsure of what to do. Hermione's eyes flitted between the three boys, debating over whom to go to first. Malfoy's lip was bleeding, and Ron's nose was broken, but Harry looked unharmed. She glanced into the crowd, and immediately spotted Luna and Ginny. Luna hurried forward and tugged on Harry's arm. He turned to her, and then softened his face.

"Harry, maybe it's better that you don't get involved right now, ok?" she said soothingly. "I mean, if you start yelling, you're going to cause an even bigger scene, and then you'll say things you're going to regret later." Harry stared at her for a second, unconvinced, then turned to Hermione.

"When all this is over, you are going to tell me the whole story. And I mean it," he said, and let Luna lead him away.

"Traitor!" Ron yelled after him. Malfoy used Ron's distracted moment to punch him in the gut. Ron doubled over, gasping in pain. Hermione flinched at the sound of bones breaking. Malfoy shook his hand, flinging blood from his knuckles all over everyone but himself.

Ron leaped at Malfoy and tackled him to the floor, but Malfoy was calm now, more lucid. He just kicked Ron over and got back to his feet, taking only a few seconds. Ron swung his feet, taking Malfoy's out from under him and sending him crashing to the floor right to his knees. Malfoy fell over and stayed down this time, clutching his knee.

Hermione ran between them. "This is over," she said, gasping. "No more. Ron, hospital wing. Now." She grabbed him by the arm and turned back to Malfoy. "I'll be back for you," she promised, then marched Ron out.

No one spoke on the way to the hospital wing. Ron kept muttering obscenities under his breath, talking about filthy sluts and Death Eaters and traitor friends and a frenzy of other colorful words that made Hermione blush. She led him to a bed and made him lie down, casting a complicated charm on the bed so he couldn't get up.

"I'll be right back," she said, and turned on her heel to leave. She stopped for a second and shivered, having the most peculiar sensation come over her body, like it had temporarily been made of jelly. She wobbled on her feet for a second, then took off her heels and went back to the Great Hall.

When she arrived, it was complete pandemonium. There were Slytherins and Gryffindors fighting with each other, Hufflepuffs trying to stay out of everything, and Ravenclaws trying to defend the Gryffindors, but not really having any idea what was going on.

Blaise Zabini was in front of Malfoy, fending off anyone who might try to hurt him. Currently, he had a Shield charm up against Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom.

When she approached, Blaise turned his wand on her, then lowered it. "Oh, it's you. Well go ahead and take him then. I'm getting tired of his whining."

Hermione smiled fondly down at the blonde Slytherin, who cursed at Zabini and tried to stand. She stopped him with a wave of her wand. "Episkey," she said, pointing her wand at his knees. He stood up immediately and walked around in a tight circle experimentally, testing his now repaired kneecaps. "Well come on," she said.

He followed her out.

"That was a dumb thing you did, you know that right?" she asked, walking a little ahead of him. "Now everyone is going to hate you, or hate me. Or both."

"I think it was worth it," he said softly. Hermione stopped walking. He stopped even with her and looked down at her, looking somewhat amused.

"You think that giving up everything you've been taught by defending," and kissing, she thought, "a Mudblood was worth it?" she looked confused, if a little sad.

Malfoy grabbed her arm. "Granger. Hermione, I got to see the real you. Not the bratty, know-it-all, snotty person I used to see, but the real, compassionate, caring, honest you that you are. I got to crack jokes that didn't hurt other people's feelings, I got to have company over the summer for the first time in my life. I got to have someone that cared about what was going to happen to me. I got to dress you," he tugged at the strap of her dress and smiled. "I got to dance with you. I got to kiss you," he licked his lips at the memory. "I got to finally stand up for someone because it was my decision. So yes, Hermione. I think it was definitely worth it."

Hermione smiled softly at him, and shook her arm loose. She walked over to the wall and leaned against it, letting the cold stone against her bare back make her super aware of everything she was doing. Still she interlocked her fingers around Draco's neck and kissed his jaw softly. He hissed at her, itching to kiss her for real, but she kept him away, not wanting to kiss him with a bloody lip. She kissed the planes of his cheekbones, then his neck.

"And then there's that," Draco said. "That was definitely worth it."

"Come on you sap," she said, grabbing his hand. "We need to take you to the hospital wing."

Malfoy frowned. "You do not," he protested.

Hermione nodded. "Yes I do," she said, tugging his arm again. She had another moment of vertigo and willed it to pass. She swayed, then steadied herself.

Malfoy watched her apprehensively. "Are you sure you don't need the hospital wing?" he asked, chuckling.

"Shut up."

Hermione led Draco into the hospital wing, pushing him into a bed and avoiding Ron's eyes. Ron sat up when Hermione came in, then lowered himself a little when Draco followed her in. He watched with narrow eyes as she pushed Malfoy onto the bed and waved her wand over him so he couldn't go anywhere. Meaning he couldn't get up and kill Weasel in his sleep.

"So I guess Malfoy is your next victim, huh?" Ron said snidely. Hermione furrowed her brows and turned to Ron, clenching her hands.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "Did Malfoy crack your skull?" Malfoy snickered, then sobered at the glare Ron sent him.

"Well, I mean you certainly have a thing for powerful wizards, don't you?" he asked, tilting his head to the side like he was actually considering it.

"Shut up, Ronald," she said, resisting the urge to throttle him.

"First Krum, then Harry—"

"You hooked up with Potter?!" Malfoy blurted.

"I did no such thing!" she said, turning around to glare at Malfoy.

"And now Malfoy. Who's next? Zabini?"

Hermione snorted. "Please, Malfoy is so much more powerful than Blaise."

"Oh, is that how you see it?" Malfoy said, sitting up suddenly. "So did you hook up with Blaise too?"

Hermione's mouth fell open. "Are you serious? Come on, why would I do that?" she asked.

Ron snorted. "Who knows. You might be running out of powerful wizards already, huh?"

Hermione slapped him, hard. Her hand stung, but seeing a red handprint on Ron's face was entirely worth it. She willed her tears to stay at bay, and turned to Malfoy.

"You said you saw the real me," she said softly. His face was still fixed in a sneer, but his eyes held doubt. "Did you really think I would ever do something like that to you?" She shook her head, trying to hide the fact that the tears were now rolling down her cheeks.

Ron laughed boisterously behind Hermione. "Seriously, Malfoy. She's like one of the most faithful witches in the history of Hogwarts. I can't believe you bought that."

Malfoy glared at Ron, and tried to get up. Hermione's spell kept him bedridden. "You lied to me!"

"Of course I did," Ron shrugged. "You stole my girlfriend. Did you want us to just become friends or something?" He rolled his eyes and laid back, stretching his arms behind his head like he was just so comfortable being in the hospital wing. Malfoy just stared at him like he had never seen anything quite like him, and was glad there was only one.

Hermione's mind whirled. Did all of Hogwarts see her as the wizard version of a gold-digger? More importantly, did Malfoy see her like that? The tortured, hardened Malfoy she had grown to like after all those weeks couldn't see her as a trashy person, could he? But he was so quick to believe Ron when he started spouting lies like a garden hose. Her shoulders shook for a millisecond, and she knew more tears were not far off. She kept her back to Malfoy and tried to hold her chin up as she strode purposefully from the hospital wing, but Malfoy's voice called to her.

"Hermione wait! I'm sorry!"

She itched to turn around, so much that her feet were already programming themselves to their next stop: Malfoy's bedside. But her brain quickly ceased their mission and kept her standing in the doorway of the hospital wing with her back to all the occupants.

"I'm just paranoid, ok? I shouldn't have believed him, because I know you. I lo—"

"Don't you dare say that, Draco Malfoy," Hermione hissed without turning around. Her ferocious voice broke as a few more tears slipped out from her eyelids. "Don't you dare finish that sentence."

And she left.

She ran down the hall, leaving her expensive high heeled shoes behind, flying past concerned students and teachers, slowing only when her sobs and fleeing had robbed her of all air. She doubled over by a suit of armor, trying desperately not to throw up at the statue's feet. She sobbed loudly, hearing her cries echo off the walls of the hall. She retched and closed her eyes, wondering what would happen if she just stopped breathing for a little while. She gasped for air and decided that was a bad idea.

Someone laid their hand on her heaving shoulder. Hermione looked up through black ringed eyes to Professor McGonagall, who just led her down the hallway with a supportive hand on her shoulder. She didn't ask any question, didn't even allow herself to wonder where she might be going or why. She didn't have anything to lose any more. Nothing left to gain either.

McGonagall stopped at the foot of the spiral staircase leading to the Headmaster's chambers. She quickly muttered "Fizzing Whizbees" to the gargoyle and motioned for Hermione to go ahead of her. Hermione obliged, picking up her black dress that Draco had picked for her, and choked back another sob.

Professor McGonagall placed her hand on her shoulder again. Hermione ignored her comforting hand and collapsed into tears again when she reached the winged armchair in front of Dumbledore's desk, not even caring that Dumbledore was watching her curiously and Tonks and Lupin were standing in the shadows. Stupid married people and their love and trust. Hermione wanted to throw something at them.

"My, Miss Granger, what is wrong?" Professor Dumbledore asked, placing his chin on his interlocked fingers. Hermione didn't answer him, but hiccupped and tried to compose herself.

"Why am I here?" she asked.

"Hermione what happened to you?" Tonks asked, reaching out to her.

"Don't. Touch. Me." She snarled. Her sorrow was gone. Anger was in its place. "Just tell me why I'm here."

"Manners, Miss Granger," McGonagall tsked.

"It's quite alright, Minerva," Dumbledore sighed. "I understand the pain of love is quite difficult to endure."

Hermione's head snapped up. "This has nothing to do with Ron," she said, lying a little.

Professor Dumbledore chuckled. "I wasn't talking about Mr. Weasley. I was talking about Mr. M—"

"Stop it!"

Dumbledore held up his hands in mock surrender. "Minerva, may you fill in Miss Granger on why she is here?"

"Oh alright. Miss Granger, there has been another prophecy."

Hermione straightened. "Should I go get Harry?" she asked.

"This only minimally involves Potter, and it would be best not to get him involved. This prophecy, however, involved you and Mr. Malfoy."

"Great." She said, clenching her fists.

"We could show you the memory, if you like," Professor McGonagall said, clearly uncomfortable with explaining it to her.

"Can't you just tell me what it says?" Hermione asked.

*********

Draco Malfoy hated Hermione Granger's genius. He could have caught up to her thirty minutes ago, but he couldn't get out of his bed. It wasn't until Madam Pomfrey checked him out thoroughly, mended all of his broken bones, chastised him and the Weasel for a good ten minutes about being gentleman, and begging to get him out of that god forsaken room. Now he was combing the castle for Hermione, knowing full well she wasn't in their Tower or Gryffindors.

He had opened all classroom doors and has gotten a Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff to search their dormitories. She had vanished. He thought about going to see if she was at Hagrid's, but all the lights in the oaf's shack were off. He searched his old dormitories, even though he knew she wasn't there. He hoped she wasn't in the Room of Requirement, because there was no way he could get in there.

He sat on one of the low marble steps at the grand staircase, wondering if he should just sleep here. There was no way he was going to be able to sleep upstairs without Hermione's steady breathing there.

*********

"Well, you see, the prophecy was about the final Horcrux," McGonagall stammered.

"Are you sure you don't want me to get Harry?"

"Quite," Dumbledore said, taking over. "The prophecy states that Harry still has to be the one to finish Voldemort, but the final Horcrux is something tricky. It will take both you and Mr. Malfoy, working as one, with all of your talents, to rid the world of that final Horcrux."

Hermione's cheeks reddened. Apparently her body knew where this was going but her brain didn't. "Meaning?"

"Meaning we're going to need you and Mr. Malfoy to…."

Tonks sighed loudly. "He's saying you have to fall in love with Draco Malfoy."

Hermione didn't answer. She just stood up, gathered the back of her dress from the crease in the chair, and stomped out as dignified as she could with her bare feet. She slammed the door behind her and paused in the stairway, stunned by her insolence. She had never disrespected a teacher like that before, much less the Headmaster. She ran down the stairs quickly, stopping at the bottom to take a deep breath and fight another wave of dizziness and nausea.

"Hermione!"

She turned to see Malfoy, letting her mind wander to the prophecy involuntarily. She really did love him, she supposed. She couldn't picture herself with anyone else. Couldn't picture herself standing beside anyone else.

And she started falling. Malfoy's strong arms caught her before she hit the ground, but her consciousness was slipping away like a wet bar of soap.

"I love you," she tried to whisper before the blackness consumed her. She had a sinking feeling that that might be her only chance to say it to him. But the confused look on his handsome face told her he didn't hear her.

*********

She awoke to the soft feeling of the sheets in the hospital wing. She winced against the bright light, and slowly opened her eyes. The expectant faces of Harry Potter, Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore, and Draco Malfoy were all around her.

"Why is he here?" she asked, pointing at Draco. He took a step back and glanced to someone, anyone for help.

"Mr. Malfoy brought you here," Dumbledore said soothingly. "Do you remember what happened tonight?"

"What was tonight?" she asked.

Everyone exchanged a look. "Halloween," Harry said slowly.

Hermione shook her head. Draco blinked.

"What is the last thing you remember?" McGonagall asked.

Hermione screwed up her eyes and struggled to recall her last memory. "I remember fighting in Malfoy Manor. I remember seeing you," she pointed at Malfoy," fighting someone. I remember thinking I was going to attack you, and I was disappointed that someone was already fighting you."

Malfoy took another step back. No. There was no way. After all the progress they had made, all the memories they shared, the connection they had, it couldn't just all be—

"Gone," Dumbledore finished. "Her memories are gone."

Exactly.

A/N: REVIEW!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Wow you guys really hated that chapter huh? Well, the ending, at least. I'm sorry I highlight/deleted all of Hermione's good Malfoy memories. Later, it will all become clear. I assure you. I promise you. So everyone loves Draco and Hermione, Luna and Harry, and Ginny and Blaise? Good, I do too. I was never a big Ron fan, so I guess that's why he's always the bad guy here. But don't worry. You'll feel for Ron later. But not right now.

Disclaimer: Yeah, don't make me say it.

Chapter Eleven: Paradise Lost.

Draco Malfoy slowly backed out of the hospital wing and flew up stairs and behind tapestries and past students still slowly milling their way back to their dormitories. When he uttered the ridiculous password that neither of them had changed, he felt his throat tighten. But he wasn't going to cry. Malfoys were not supposed to cry.

He just mentally deleted all the times he had cried in front of Hermione. She didn't remember anymore anyway.

He slowly trudged up to her room and opened the door, smiling at the book she had left on her couch and all the girly products all over the floor. He shut the door softly behind him and leaned against it, much like she had done when she had kissed him for the last time. Would she ever kiss him again? Probably not.

He was back to being Mal-ferret. He was back to being the prejudiced Death Eater to her now. He slowly slid down the wall to the floor, tears sliding down his face and onto his black silk shirt. He didn't sob, he didn't whine. He just stared at the wall, the tears leaving their tracks all down his face.

He loved her. He loved her more than he had ever loved anyone in his entire life, except maybe his mother. He wrapped his arms around himself and tried to imagine that he was holding her again. That he was holding her like she did for him when he had that nightmare. He took a deep, shaking breath and let it out, letting the continuous tears slide over his parted lips. He crawled into bed, where he had been sleeping since she so nervously had asked him to do on the first night back at Hogwarts.

He stared at the canopy on the bed, letting his mind wander like he usually did before he fell asleep. But sleep never came. He wished for it to claim him, to whisk him away to a distant world where Hermione Grangers could never lose their memories and Ronald Weasleys never existed. He wished to go back in time to earlier that night, when she had snuck a kiss to him in the middle of the crowded dance floor. He wished to be anywhere but here, mourning the loss of a girl he had hated for six years. The girl he had loved.

A knock came at the portrait hole. Draco covered his face with the pillow and ignored it. It came again, louder this time. He muttered curses into the down pillow and swung his feet to the floor, ignoring the fact that he was still fully dressed and his face was pink from all the tears.

He stood at the portrait hole, wondering if they were bringing Hermione back here to sleep. How was he going to break it to her that they had been sleeping in the same room for almost two months?

"Malfoy come on! I know you can hear me! I want to help you!"

Great. It was Potter.

Malfoy wiped his eyes furiously and swung the portrait hole open. "What do you want, Potter?"

"I want to help Hermione get her memories back."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Why? Don't you want her to never remember anything good about me? It would be so much easier for you and the Weasel if she just forgot me."

Harry let himself in and took a seat on the couch. "I saw your face back there Malfoy. You like her. I'll help you."

"I don't like her Potter," Malfoy spat at him, taking a seat on the far side of the room, as far away from Harry as he could get.

"Don't give me that bull, Malfoy."

"You don't know anything about us." Malfoy said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Harry leaned forward. "Then why don't you tell me?" he said.

"Why would I tell you anything?"

"Because I can help you."

"Elaborate."

"Hermione doesn't know you're a decent guy. Granted, I don't either, but she used to think you were. Now, she wants nothing to do with you. She doesn't want to see you or talk to you. How do you expect to get her to remember anything when she doesn't even want to see your face?" Harry leaned back, satisfied that he had made his case.

Malfoy mimed coughing so he could wipe a stray tear off his cheek.

"Potter, I didn't like her. She saved my life and cared for me all summer. She gave up being with you and the Weasel just to make sure I was going to be ok. She befriended my mother, my house elf, and even me." He took a deep breath. "She helped me through nightmares, she helped me through werewolves, she helped me through everything. She was like my guardian angel. I didn't like her, Potter. I loved her."

Harry's expression didn't change, but his mind had frozen. This was something he had never expected. Draco Malfoy was in love with his best friend. And she probably used to feel the same way. No wonder it looked like he had been crying.

"Malfoy, have you been crying?" Harry asked, wishing he could use his wand to shine light on his face.

"Tomorrow, we'll meet in the Library to find out what's happened to her," Malfoy said, completely ignoring his question.

"I have classes tomorrow."

"I'm skipping mine."

Harry nodded, then made plans to meet Malfoy in the library at 8 o'clock the next morning. Malfoy insisted.

*********

"Ginny, I need to ask you a favor."

"Yes, Blaise?" she said, leaning against the wall in front of the portrait hole.

"I need you to help Hermione remember Draco as a good guy," he said.

"Why?"

"Did you see his face? Come on, Gin. For me," Blaise said, kissing her cheek.

She pulled away. "You're going to have to come up with something better than you," she said petulantly, putting her hands on her hips.

"Do it for Hermione."

Ginny dropped her hands. "Aww, you got me."

Blaise laughed and kissed her quickly before walking away before an angry Gryffindor could come out of the portrait hole and curse him.

********

"Malfoy, you look terrible," Harry remarked, grabbing a book and sitting down.

Malfoy just sneered at him and grabbed another book. Of course he looked terrible. He hadn't slept all night. He couldn't bring himself to do anything. Everything he did reminded him of Hermione! He was lucky he had managed to take a shower and get dressed without thinking of the way Hermione brushed her teeth like a mental patient or how she always managed to take a shorter shower than he did.

He flipped through the book, reached the end, and threw it on the floor. Madame Pince hissed at him, and he ignored her, grabbing another five books and flipping through them in quick succession. Harry was still on his first, reading a passage. Malfoy glared at him.

"We don't have all century Potter," he snarled. "I would like for Hermione to get her memory back before I die."

"Shut up Malfoy. I might have found something."

Malfoy stood up so fast his chair clattered to the floor. Madame Pince flared her nostrils. He ran to Potter's side of the table and leaned over, scanning a passage about Memory Charms. When cast, the caster could set the charm not to happen for a short amount of time.

"Like a ticking time bomb," Potter mused.

"But it's only for a short amount of time. It had to have been.—" Malfoy thought back to what had happened. "She took Weasel to the hospital wing before me! It was the Weasel!"

Harry shook his head. "Why would Ron put a memory charm on her?" he asked reasonably.

"Hello! I stole his girlfriend! If he removes all of her memories, she'll come running back to him, which I'm sure she's already done." A disgusted look crossed his face for a second, then it passed.

Harry just stared at the book. He was thinking of Ron's weird behavior throughout the school year, being polite at dinner, being less then respectful to Hermione's feelings, acting way more courageous and less than admirable. There was a chance that he could have done it, but something else was up with him. He just couldn't quite put his finger on what.

"Come on, Potter. You know I'm right."

"Right about what?" said a serene voice. Harry turned around and wrapped an arm around Luna, who smiled.

"Right about what?" she asked again.

"Malfoy thinks Ron was the one that cursed Hermione."

Luna nodded. "That makes sense. I mean, she did like Draco, so he could have done it to get her back."

Harry stared at her. "Maybe you have a point," he said slowly.

Malfoy raised his arms, exasperated. "I just told you that! She has a point, but I don't?"

Harry walked out and Luna turned to Malfoy. "I'm the girlfriend. I always have a point." She smiled, then let her smile slide off her face. "Draco, I know you liked her too. I'm going to do whatever I can to help her remember you, ok?"

Malfoy felt the sudden urge to hug her. Why he ever called her Loony, he would never know.

Then she started waving her hands around his face. "Wrackspurt got you?"

Oh, yes. That was why.

*********

"Ginny, I told you, I don't remember!" Hermione said, exasperated. She twirled a piece of blanket around her forefinger until it turned purple, then released it.

"You took Malfoy to the Halloween ball, Hermione," Ginny said for the umpteenth time.

Hermione made a face. "Why?"

"Because you like him!"

She looked affronted. "I most certainly do not!"

Ginny looked maddened. "Yes. You. Do! You spent the summer at his house, tending to his wounds, you took him to the Halloween ball, you kissed him!"

Hermione fake gagged.

"Just LISTEN to me!" Ginny threw up her hands and Blaise came to her side, rubbing her shoulders affectionately.

"Calm down, Gin."

"I can't do this right now. I just can't. I saw Malfoy today, Hermione. He looks terrible. Harry told me he was crying last night. He loves you and you can't even remember why." She choked on her words, like she herself wanted to cry.

Hermione just stared at her, confused.

Harry and Malfoy walked in behind Ginny, and Hermione had to admit, Malfoy did look terrible. He had bags under his eyes, his normally bright white skin looked waxy. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair was ruffled. She could just barely make out some stubble on his jaw.

"Hermione, we know what happened to you," Harry said. "It was a memory charm set on a time scale."

Hermione sat up straighter. She loved to hear theories. "Ok. So how do we fix it?"

Malfoy spoke up. "Normally, there's a memory that you lost that stands out the most. If we help you remember it, then it should trigger all the other memories that were erased."

Hermione stared at him curiously until he looked away. There was no smirk, no sneer. Just sadness.

"Why are you so sad?" she asked him. He looked up at her for a second, then fled the scene. Ginny followed him, casting a dark look back at Hermione as she did so.

"Harry, I don't understand! They keep telling me I liked Malfoy, but I don't remember! I'm dating Ron! I love Ron! Why is everyone trying to keep us apart?" she buried her head in her pillow, and Harry laid a hand on her shoulder.

"You and Ron broke up last night when he attacked Malfoy," he said slowly.

"What?"

"You like Malfoy."

"You too!"

"Hermione Jean Granger!" Harry bellowed, making her flinch. "I would never lie to you! Draco Malfoy loves you! I'm going to need you to remember that, or you might never get your memories back!"

Hermione just gaped at him. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave," she said, and turned her back on him.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I'm glad everyone liked the chapter, and I like even more that everyone is confused as HELL about Ron. That was my intention. Everything will be cleared up in this chapter, to an extent. I would have updated yesterday, but I went to my best friends house with her cousin and we plotted the demise of this horrible girl that likes to spread lies. So we hit up WalMart, right? And we buy TONS of condoms, and lots and lots of bubblegum. So we put the condoms and the wrappers ALL OVER her precious car, and then we chewed gum to put in her door handles. I know, we're so mature, right? We had other ideas, but those ideas could have gotten us arrested or something…so we didn't do that…

Disclaimer: Whee, Chapter 12 of MY STORY!

Chapter Twelve: Questions and Transformations

The halls were silent, the marble floors cold. The darkness felt strangely comforting on Draco Malfoy's eyelids. Maybe the darkness felt like heaven because he hadn't slept a wink in two straight days. He knew he looked horrible, but he really didn't care. He knew Ron Weasley was the reason for his pain, and he was determined to get him back. He had searched that book that Potter had found the spell in, as if he was looking for a page that said "MY NAME IS RON WEASLEY AND I TRIED TO RUIN DRACO MALFOY'S LIFE!" He wasn't so lucky.

He was at his wits end. His stomach protested his lack of food, something he had forsaken mostly because eating made him want to vomit, and drinking anything made him wonder if he would somehow produce more tears. He hadn't cried since that day Potter had caught him, and he wondered if his tear ducts had dried up. He hoped so.

His feet took him to the hospital wing, and he walked by Hermione's bed, sparing her a glance just to satisfy his eyes. She looked like perfection, if only he could erase the confused look on her face. He was so used to her looking like she knew everything that the confused look wasn't very flattering.

"Why are you here Malfoy?" she asked snidely. Draco flinched visibly at her unfamiliar tone.

"I'm here to speak with Madame Pomfrey, Hermione," he said. "How do you feel?"

Hermione cocked her head. "Well that's a lot more polite than 'shut up Mudblood'," she said. Malfoy suddenly felt the urge to shake her until her brain decided to start functioning again.

"I don't use that word anymore, Hermione. And I would appreciate it if you called me Draco," he replied.

"Why would I call you Draco?"

"Because you used to call me that, and I happen to like the way it sounds," he said, sounding defeated. He rubbed his eyes, and ran his fingers through his hair. Madame Pomfrey came out of her office, bustling about with potions and such until she spotted Malfoy.

"Mr. Malfoy, it is rather late for you to be out, isn't it?" she asked kindly. She had seen the hurt look on Draco's face when Hermione had forgotten everything about him and was trying desperately to be kind instead of scathing.

"Of course, I just had a quick question for you," he said. She nodded, then handed Hermione a potion. She took it but didn't drink it, staring instead at Draco's chiseled, perfect profile while he spoke.

"I was wondering if, the night of the Ball, Ron Weasley did anything…suspect."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh please," she scoffed. Both parties ignored her.

"Suspect?"

"Like unusual."

"Well, he did keep drinking out of this little cup he had with him. I told him to put it away and he did, but every now and then I thought I could see him take it out," she shrugged. "I figured it was firewhiskey or something."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Did you take it up?" he asked, although he already knew the answer. Madame Pomfrey shook her head. "Did you see what it looked like? Did anything stick out to you?"

"It had a snake on it…" she said slowly. Malfoy's head tilted to the side, and then his entire face brightened. He ran up to Hermione and grabbed her hand for a second, kissing it lightly. She wrenched it back.

"Thank you for being a know-it-all," he said. She scowled at him. He ran out of the room and she shook her hand as if he had soiled it. Madame Pomfrey nodded at her potion, telling her silently and sternly to drink it.

After she downed the bottle, Madame Pomfrey took it back. "At least try to remember him, Hermione," she said, sounding sad.

"Who?"

"Draco."

She rolled her eyes. "I know who Malfoy is, Madame Pomfrey."

The Mediwitch shook her head. "Not Malfoy. Try to remember Draco. They're two different people."

********

Malfoy sprinted down the hallway and up three staircases in quick succession, almost tripping over his feet several times and having to stop to catch his breath. He knocked on the portrait hole for almost two minutes before anyone opened it and came outside, much to the Fat Lady's relief.

Ginny Weasley crossed her arms over her pajama clad chest. "What happened?" she asked, sounding concerned and angry at the same time.

"I need Harry," he said through deep breaths. "Now."

She looked like she was going to make him say please, but thought better of it. "Come on in," she said. He looked apprehensive. "You're Head Boy. You'll be fine."

She led him to a poufy armchair and made him sit down. "I'll be right back," she said.

Indeed she was. In less than thirty seconds, she came bounding down the stairs, Harry Potter in her wake.

"What's wrong what happened?" he asked quickly. Malfoy just motioned for him to come outside. Ginny followed.

"Weaselette, you stay," Malfoy instructed. "You won't like seeing what's about to go down, and Blaise will kill me if anything happens to you."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Whatever Malfoy. What's going on?"

"It has something to do with your brother, so I can't have your family loyalty getting in the way!" he was getting angry with each passing second.

Ginny looked thunderous. "Malfoy!"

Harry raised a hand. "Gin, I'll tell you everything that happens if you just stay," he said, backing out of the portrait hole as he did so.

Ginny glowered at him but obeyed. Malfoy followed Harry into the corridor and ignored his questions. "We need Dumbledore," was all he said.

Harry fell silent and fell into step beside Malfoy, who's frenzied pace frightened him a little. He was reminded forcefully of the night when he had gone with Dumbledore to find the locket, when Malfoy had cornered him, supposedly to kill him. But Dumbledore had managed to wriggle his was out of it, mostly thanks to Harry, who was hiding in the room.

This time, however, it had nothing to do with killing the Headmaster, and it had everything to do with someone other than the Chosen One.

"Fizzing Whizbees," Harry said quickly to the gargoyle.

"How did you know the password?" Malfoy asked.

"I heard McGonagall say it once," Harry said, shrugging. "I just hoped they hadn't changed it."

Malfoy nodded his thanks and bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He almost stumbled, but ignored Harry's question of "are you ok?" and kept going. He knocked on Dumbledore's door and tapped his foot until a serene voice called out.

"Come in," he said.

Malfoy burst into the room and immediately started talking. So quickly in fact that Harry almost missed all of the explanation.

"We need to find Ron Weasley," was all Harry heard, and Dumbledore nodded, standing up. Harry just stared at him, confused.

"Mr. Malfoy here found the perpetrator who stole Miss Granger's precious memories," Dumbledore said in lieu of an explanation.

Harry just followed the two men, making exasperated noises and hoping all would become clear. Dumbledore took the lead, heading unmistakably to the place that Harry and Malfoy knew all too well: the Room of Requirement.

He strode in front of the wall while Malfoy and Harry watched. A door appeared and Dumbledore hung back. Harry stepped forward.

"Would you like me to go first, Professor?" Harry asked, not waiting for an answer. Malfoy called out for him to stop, but Harry ignored him and opened the door.

Ron was awake, writing a letter at a desk. Harry walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. Malfoy had barely made it into the room fast enough to catch Potter flying across the room. He stood up and shook his head, trying to understand why he had just been attacked by his best friend.

Malfoy shouted "Stupefy!" at Ron, but it was blocked as the word left his mouth.

"How dare you!" he shouted at Draco, sending a Disarming jinx at him. Malfoy dodged it and shot a Full Body Bind curse at him, and at the same time, Harry shot ropes out of the end of his wand, securely tying up the redhead, and Malfoy snatched his wand.

Dumbledore finally exposed himself and took a seat where Ron had been. "And now we wait."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "What?!"

Malfoy sat on the floor in the most undignified manner that Harry had ever seen him, then leaned back so he was laying on the floor. His stomach growled.

"How long has it been since you've eaten, Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked, looking one part concerned and two parts amused.

"Two days," Malfoy said without opening his eyes. Harry just stared at him.

"Are you serious?" he said incredulously. "Are you that depressed?"

Malfoy didn't answer.

"Why are we still sitting here!" Harry asked.

Ron started twitching in his ropes. Dumbledore stood up and Malfoy sat up straight.

"That's why," Dumbledore said, pointing. Ron's red hair was lightening and lengthening as Harry watched, horrified. His freckles started disappearing, and his blue eyes lightened to a stormy gray.

Lucius Malfoy was sitting in front of them, wrapped up in ropes. He stared at Draco with a contempt Harry used to think was saved for himself only.

"How dare you!" Malfoy hissed.

Draco just stared at him, his face expressionless.

"You can't handle ANY of the Dark Lord's orders can you?" he snarled. "All you had to do was kill that girl!"

Harry whirled on Draco, who didn't even flinch. He just stared at Malfoy Senior, who kept going.

"All you had to do was kill that girl and the whole family would have been fine! You are a DISGRACE to the family name."

Draco just raised his wand and pointed it straight at his father's heart.

"You are going to die for this Draco," his father said.

Dumbledore stood up. "That's quite enough. Now, Mr. Malfoy, if you would do us the courtesy of telling us where you his Mr. Weasley?"

Malfoy just stared at him and snorted.

Draco didn't move, but spoke. "I know where he is."

He closed his eyes and concentrated. A bound and gagged Ron Weasley appeared from deep within a trunk in the corner of the room, looking sickly and terrified, his hair cut uneven in many places.

Harry ran at him and untied him.

"Ron, are you ok?" he asked. Ron opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. His voice rasped, and he touched his throat.

"Mr. Potter, will you please take Mr. Weasley to the hospital wing please? Get Madame Pomfrey to give him something for dehydration and exhaustion."

Harry just nodded and walked out, leaving Draco with Dumbledore and his father. Draco leaned against the wall and took a deep breath, hoping he wasn't about to pass out.

"Mr. Malfoy, why did you impersonate Mr. Weasley?"

But Malfoy kept griping at Draco. "You had to just fraternize with the enemy, didn't you Draco? You know all you're going is proving the prophecy right by doing that? I can't have you do that! You are not a soldier for the Order, no matter what some stupid Seer might say!"

Draco turned to Dumbledore. "What is he talking about?" he asked. Dumbledore opened his mouth to answer, but the door opened behind him and he thought better of it. Tonks and Lupin came in, wands out.

"What happened?"

It seemed to be the question of the night.

"Can you take Mr. Malfoy here to the Ministry please? Tell them he was attempting to take Miss Granger's life and imprisoned Ronald Weasley."

Lupin scowled and Tonks nodded. She waved her wand and Silenced Malfoy, who was still yelling insults at his son, who wasn't even sparing him a glance. He was just staring at Dumbledore, who was watching him with a curious look on his face. Tonks levitated Malfoy and led him out first, with Lupin following her.

"What's going on?" Draco asked. Dumbledore motioned for him to sit, but Malfoy just shook his head.

"I would rather not."

Dumbledore smiled at him serenely and told Malfoy everything that he told Hermione. Hermione's reaction, while shocked, was almost expected. Draco's however, was not. He hung his head and covered his face with his hand.

"You might as well just chalk that up as a failure."

Dumbledore just smiled at him. "If you love her, there's no doubt that she'll love you back."

Malfoy gaped. "What are you talking about Professor?"

Dumbledore just smiled.

"Fine."

Dumbledore's smile didn't falter. "Fine what?"

"Fine, I love her."

"Step one, complete," Dumbledore grinned.

*********

Hermione awoke with a gasp, touching her lips with a frightened certainty. Her dream of Malfoy kissing her so hungrily had seemed sort of familiar. She ran her fingers over her blushing cheeks and thought about his perfect chest, his chiseled jawline, and his liquid metal eyes.

She had a crush on Draco Malfoy.

Or she remembered having one.

She couldn't quite decide which.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: So I love my reviewers so much! You guys are truly awesome. You make my day over and over again! I especially love everyone that leaves a long review, and the ones that tell me what you guys think is going to happen because sometimes you're right! Thank you so much Sajrob, for the message! Yes, I should write more of the Mission story, but only when this one is finished. And Alley, it feels so good to find someone who reads the Clique books like I do? Who's your favorite character? Mine is Dylan. But of course, I hold a certain admiration for Massie too.

Disclaimer: So yeah, not mine. Neither are the previously mentioned characters from the Clique.

Chapter Thirteen: A Forgotten Christmas

"You guys look amazing!" Hermione gushed as Ginny and Luna came into the hospital wing to visit Hermione on their way to the Yule Ball. She had been told she was skipping it by an adamant Harry and Draco, though Harry was the one who did all the talking. But Hermione had a feeling it was Draco's idea by the shadow that covered his face when Harry brought up the fight between him and Ron.

Ron himself was two beds down, and kept trying to get up and move closer to Hermione, but Malfoy was there so often that he rarely dared anymore. Ron, of course, couldn't understand why Malfoy's stares of contempt were directed at him more often than usual, and he couldn't quite grasp that, according to everyone, Hermione was no longer his girlfriend and Lavender Brown was instead.

And she came to visit him everyday, cooing over him and spoon feeding him his food. He tried to feign sleep whenever she came around, but Malfoy had ratted him out more than once, and Lavender had taken to just sitting by his bedside until he finally gave up and "woke up."

Hermione, though she knew she had broken up with Ron already, couldn't help but feel a hot flash of anger whenever Lavender showed up and crowded Ron, and tried to suppress the urge to rip her hair out whenever she kissed him. Malfoy noticed this, of course, but tried not to feel too put out. After all, she still hadn't regained her memory, so that was to be expected.

Ginny hugged Hermione tightly, careful not to wrinkle her magenta colored gown, and Luna hugged her after, and Hermione's skin sighed at the feeling of Luna's golden linen dress. Harry and Blaise stood stiffly by the doorway, waiting for their dates to stop being all sentimental so they could go to the Ball already. Luna pulled back and smiled.

"I wish you could go with us, Hermione," she said wistfully. "You looked so pretty in that black dress last time."

Hermione cocked an eyebrow. "I don't wear black," she said.

Ginny nodded. "Malfoy picked it out for you," she said, trying to sound blasé. Hermione still looked confused, and Ginny just swept out of the room, uncomfortable knowing how Draco felt about her best friend when said best friend could barely call him by his first name.

Not five minutes after, Malfoy himself joined Hermione and pulled her out of her silence. "I'm supposed to deliver this to you," he said, attempting a smile. She stared at him curiously and took the scroll he was offering, and unrolled it.

"Dear Miss Granger,

I must ask you to please spend the Christmas holidays with Mr. Malfoy. We are still trying to retrieve your lost memories, and Malfoy Manor might be the place where you can recover them. I hope you have a happy Christmas and have fun.

Yours most sincerely,  
Albus Dumbledore."

Hermione let go of the scroll, and it sprung back into its tight cylinder. "I'm going to your house for the holidays?" she shrieked.

Malfoy chuckled. "Well, the train leaves tomorrow at eleven. I asked Madame Pomfrey if she would let you out on a quick recess to let you pack your things. She says you have until the end of the ball."

Hermione sat up straight. "I get to get out of here?!" she asked excitedly.

Malfoy nodded and offered his arm to help her up. She ignored him and stood up all on her own, slipping her shoes on quickly. He led her to their Tower and laughed loudly when he thought of how she was going to react when she had to say the password.

She turned around to look at him. "What's the password?" she asked. Malfoy laughed harder, and she stomped her foot.

"Draco is sexy," he gasped out. He watched in delight as her face reddened, and the portrait swung open. She rushed inside and ran right up to Draco's room.

He followed her quickly. "Why are you in my room?" he asked.

"Oh," she said, and ran across the hallway. "Oops."

She opened the door into the identical room and her pretty mouth fell open. She shut the door, shook her head, and opened it again. Malfoy appeared in her room from the connecting bathroom and smirked.

"Yes, the bedrooms are the same," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Why?" she asked.

He took a deep breath and said, "Because the Headmaster said we could decorate our rooms as we pleased. It just so happens that we decorated it the exact same way."

Hermione stared at him skeptically, but didn't contradict him. He left out the part about him sleeping in her room and the part about his bedroom in the Manor looking just like this because he didn't want her to freak out. He figured she was in a good mood. He didn't want to ruin it.

She opened her trunk and made a huge sweeping motion with her wand. All of her clothes and some books flew into her trunk and she smiled and folded her arms triumphantly.

"All done."

She sat on her couch and said, "Tell me about the battle."

Malfoy froze. Not only did he not want to tell her anything about the battle, he knew that talk about the battle would lead to talk about her living in his room for almost a month, and that would bring up an uncomfortable talk about her forgotten feelings for him and his definitely present feelings for her, and he didn't think he could handle that without going crazy.

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

"What happened to you?" she asked. "Why were you so fatally wounded?"

Malfoy didn't reply. He lifted his shirt and showed her all the scars that marred his formerly perfect chest. Hermione gasped, and visions came flying back to her. Seeing Greyback slash him, seeing his blood fly, trying desperately to stop the bleeding, calling for help, praying he wouldn't die.

She took deep breaths, and suddenly Malfoy was beside her, rubbing her back and saying soothing words. When she calmed herself and tuned in to her surroundings, she realized her whole body was buzzing just from having Malfoy that close to her. She scooted over a few inches uncomfortably.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I remembered," she said quietly. "I remembered the battle, I remembered trying to save you. I remember crying for you," her voice trailed off and she glanced up into his steely eyes. He looked happy.

"What?" she asked with a nervous giggle.

He snaked an arm around her and gave her a quick squeeze before standing up. "You're remembering," he said, brushing his pants off.

She just smiled.

"Anyway, we better get you back to the hospital wing before Pomfrey has my head. I'll come get you tomorrow before we leave."

Hermione stood up and watched him leave with a confused look on her face.

Malfoy headed down the stairs with his thoughts swirling around in his head so much he was almost blinded. He had wanted to kiss her so bad when she remembered. He didn't care what she remembered, as long as the memory of her feelings for him would come back. She didn't have to remember meeting Mittens, she didn't have to remember going to Diagon Alley, or asking him to sleep in her room. All she needed to remember, for his sake, was that she liked to kiss him.

He would have begged her to, but once again, he would be crossing boundaries she hadn't even remembered she made.

*********

Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, Ginny Weasley, Blaise Zambini, Ron Weasley, Lavender Brown and Draco Malfoy were all in one compartment, and Malfoy had rarely felt so uncomfortable. It didn't help that Ron was still trying to patch things up with Hermione in front of Lavender, who was looking at Draco like it was his fault. It didn't help that Blaise looked annoyingly happy with his own Gryffindor, making jealousy course through Draco so much that he wanted nothing more than to punch his fellow Slytherin in the face.

But he didn't.

Instead he stared out the window and prayed this would all be over soon.

He squirmed suddenly, feeling the heat of someone's eyes on him. He glanced in Hermione's direction and her face flushed pink, and she turned away quickly, focusing her eyes on her Arithmancy textbook or rather, Draco's Arithmancy textbook. He still hadn't broken it to her that he usually slept in her room, so he couldn't just walk in there and take his book back.

When the train stopped, Ron, Harry, Ginny and Luna went one way, Lavender hugged her parents, and Blaise stuck near Hermione and Draco. The Zabini estate wasn't far from Malfoy Manor and Dumbledore had set up a Portkey for all three of them to take.

They grabbed the empty can of tomato sauce and felt the familiar jerk behind their navels, and Hermione struggled to remain on her feet, finally resorting to grabbing the silk sleeve of Malfoy's jacket to stay upright. He extended an arm and touched her hip lightly to make sure she was steady before letting go. The gesture was so tender that Hermione instantly felt guilty.

Malfoy acted like he felt something for her, and she felt horrible that she didn't feel it back. She wondered if she had really had feelings for him before her memories were gone, and wondered even more if she would ever feel them again. She kind of hoped so, if not for her sake, for Malfoy's.

He led her through a maze of hallways that reminded her forcibly of Hogwarts and into what she assumed was his chambers. She gasped.

It was her room.

"What? Why?"

"Oh yeah, well, when you saved me, I brought you here. You refused to leave until I was healed and you spent the remainder of your summer in here, cooped up with me. In the meantime, you met my mother and a few house elves," Malfoy said with a shrug, trying to play it off.

Hermione's mouth stayed open.

"Hermione," Malfoy waved a hand in front of her face. "Stay with me."

She focused her eyes on his, gripped his shoulders tightly for a second, then let go. He stared at her curiously, trying to gauge her emotions. She turned on her heel and positively fled from the room. Malfoy sighed and followed.

"HERMIONE!"

*********

Harry twisted his hands nervously. Luna smiled and tugged on his hands until he calmed down. He smiled at her and she shook her head, her toothy grin still intact.

"Daddy is cool," she assured him.

Harry wondered if his idea of cool was anywhere in league with hers. He doubted it.

Luna's father was round and bald, and his eyes were the same blue as his daughter's. He shook Harry's hand fervently and motioned for him to take a seat. He held out a mug full of a deep purple liquid. Harry hesitated, then took it.

Luna gladly accepted her glass and took a hearty swig. "It's the infusion of Gurdyroots," she offered.

Harry tried to smile and took a sip. He gagged.

When Luna's dad left to check for some animal that Harry couldn't pronounce, Luna threw her drink out the window. Harry gaped at her, and she did the same to his.

"This stuff is disgusting," she said with a smile. She kissed Harry on the lips quickly.

He laughed and wrapped an arm around her.

*********

"I hope you will have a good Christmas, and well, I just wanted to write to say that…I'll miss you, even though you won't be that far away. I didn't want to tell you at the station, because everyone was there. So uh, I know now I'm rambling on and on, and you're totally going to make fun of me for writing this. But you know…happy Christmas. Oh, crap, I already said that.

Sincerely,  
Gin."

Ginny rolled up the parchment and tried to tie it on the leg of Pig before Ron snatched it out of her hand. She whirled on her brother and tried to take it back, but he was already unrolling it.

"Are you writing to a boooooooyfriend?" he asked obnoxiously.

Ginny punched him in the throat. He gasped and grabbed his neck, his face turning bright red. He tried to choke out words, but all that came out where disgusting wheezing noises.

Ginny smirked and tied the note to Pig and whispered the name before letting the hyperactive owl go. She turned to Ron, who was still attempting to speak, and fake-lunged at him. Ron fell backward onto her bed and squeaked, and Ginny laughed.

"Don't mess with me," she said.

*********

Draco Malfoy was slowly running out of energy for this. He hated chasing this girl. She had managed to high tail it down the hallway and out of his sight before he could catch up. He weaved through hallways, hoping she would get lost or turned around and try to come back. But of course she was way too stubborn for that.

He stopped for breath and leaned against the marble walls, heaving in great lungfuls of air as he tried not to pass out.

He stopped breathing for a second when he heard someone crying.

He tried to follow the sound, but the walls made it echo. He furiously went down hallway after hallway, running into dead ends. He was no longer paying any attention to where he was going but where he could hear the sound.

He wandered for almost twenty minutes before he stumbled into the ballroom, where the fateful battle had taken place. He could hear Hermione's cries louder now, and he slowly made his way to the corner of the room where he had fought for his life. The corner where Hermione had saved him just because she felt like it.

Just walking back there made all the horrific visions come back, and Draco shivered, drawing his jacket closer to himself. He found Hermione in a heap on the floor, tears rolling down her face as she sobbed. He kneeled down next to her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. She turned to him, her eyes red rimmed but familiar.

Draco's heart sped up in his chest, as if it understood what had transpired before his brain did. Hermione launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his lips passionately. Malfoy's eyes stayed open for a few seconds before his gave in and kissed her back like he had been dreaming of for so long.

He fastened one of his hands in her hair and wrapped another hand around her waist, pulling her so close to him that he toppled over, and Hermione was lying on top of him. Curiosity finally got the better of him and he pulled away, completely breathless.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"I remember, Draco," she breathed. "I remember everything."

Malfoy kissed her forehead, both of her cheeks, and then her nose in pure elation. "Everything."

She kissed her jaw softly. "Everything. Draco I—"

"Well well well, what do we have here?"

A/N: DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I know, I know, I left you guys with a horrific cliffhanger there. And sadly, only one person guessed correctly when they guessed who it was. And once again, thanks oodles for all of the wonderful reviews that I've gotten. You guys are really my light on a dark day. And Alley, Alicia might be my least favorite character, mostly because she's always trying to overthrow Massie and she's realized time and time again that she doesn't have what it takes to be an alpha. But that's just me. And I love times ten Dempsey. But I think he would have been better with Layne or Massie, personally. Dempsey with Kristen seems too awkward for me.

Disclaimer: Still not mine. Whatevs.

Chapter Fourteen: Fatal Attraction

Draco turned swiftly and pulled his wand at the same time. He stood slowly, not taking his eyes off the intruder. He grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her up with him, but stood almost in front of her, so if need be, he could shield her from whatever curse was shot.

Lovely Aunt Bellatrix had her wand trained on her nephew but her eyes were on Hermione. Draco stared into her dark brown eyes and willed himself not to shake. He was no match for Bellatrix's power. Hermione might have been if she had her wand. But suddenly she was next to him, her wand pointing straight at Bella's chest. Draco felt his confidence rise just at the thought of having her beside him.

"Now, Draco dear, why don't you just hand over the Mudblood and everything will be fine," Bella cooed, but her eyes showed nothing but malice. Draco reached back and squeezed Hermione's hand quickly. Her hand was shaking. Her wand was not.

"Did Father send you?" Draco asked, keeping his wand up and steady.

Bellatrix laughed maniacally, and Hermione brought her shoulders up to her ears, as if that might block out the sound. "Do you really think I take orders from your father?" she shrieked. "I'm here under the Dark Lord's wishes, Draco. You didn't kill the girl like you were supposed to."

Draco widened his stance and raised his wand a little higher. "And I don't plan to."

Bellatrix looked calm considering she had two wands pointed at her. However, it seemed like both Hermione and Draco were reluctant to strike. If they shot a curse, they were probably going to be cursed right back. No one wanted that.

Suddenly, she wrenched back the sleeve of her robes, exposing the long dark tattoo that marred her creamy skin. She raised her hand slowly.

"NO!" Hermione shouted. "Expelliarmus!" Bellatrix was blasted off of her feet, but still had her wand in her hand. She stood and brushed off her robes. Draco immediately stood in front of Hermione.

"Now, now Draco, it's time to give up and move," Bellatrix said. She muttered a curse and ropes shot out of her wand and bound Draco. He toppled over and struggled against the bonds. Bellatrix cackled again and turned her wand on Hermione. "Crucio," she hissed.

Hermione screwed up her eyes in pain, but didn't scream. She bit her lip so much that it bled, and the red ribbon of blood wound itself down her chin and her neck all the way to her chest before she finally opened her mouth and let out a horrible scream. Draco shouted and flailed from where he lied, and Hermione fell to the ground, crying and wiping the blood off her face. She gripped her wand and gasped out "Sectumsepra."

Bellatrix let out a horrific shriek and gasped as her blood splattered to the floor. Draco retched as his aunt fell to the floor in a pool of her own blood. She wrenched her sleeve up and touched the Dark Mark quickly.

Almost instantaneously, black cloaked figures were appearing all around them. Draco felt his hopes fail. They were both goners now. His bonds suddenly disappeared as Bellatrix drew her last breath and he reached out for Hermione, who was trying to steady herself enough to stand.

She pointed her wand at a cloaked figure and whispered, "Stupefy," and he crumpled to the ground. She locked eyes with Draco and he was astonished to see unshed tears shining in her eyes.

"I never wanted to kill anyone," she whimpered. "That wasn't my intention. But I couldn't let her hurt you."

Draco let out a humorless laugh. "She was after you, you barmy little girl, not me."

She stood up and shook him off with a glare, pointing her wand at the people who were now advancing on her.

*********

Lavender cooed at Ron and kissed the tip of his nose, making Ron blush. Fred and George chuckled from their sofa and Ron flipped them the bird from behind Lavender's mess of curly hair. They laughed even louder.

Harry, who was tastefully holding hands with Luna, chuckled a little at Ron's embarrassment. Molly Weasley had let them have a sort of teenage moment of peace while she went to Bill's to visit him and Fleur, since they couldn't come and visit this year because the house was full.

Ginny grinned from Fred and George's couch as she told them again about how Ron tried to talk to her after she punched him in the throat. Fred was pretending to be Ron and George was Ginny. Fred was rolling on the floor gasping like an asthmatic and George was jumping around with his fists in the air like he had just won a boxing tournament.

Luna and Harry cracked up, and even Ron had to smile. Lavender, however, was glaring at Ginny like Ginny had punched her instead of her boyfriend. Ginny just raised her eyebrows at her, daring her to make a comment where she had two older brothers, a best friend, and Harry to back her up. Lavender just glared.

Luna stood and pulled Harry's hand. He stared at her curiously and she led him from the room. Fred and George cheered and Harry flipped them off from behind his back. Luna led him from the living room out the front door. She let go of his hand and lied down in the soft grass and stared at the sky.

Harry cocked his head to the side and grinned before he joined her. She reached for his hand and squeezed.

"I know that after this year is over, you're going to go searching for Horcruxes, right?"

Harry sat up suddenly. "How did you know—?"

She shrugged it off. "I know this. Hermione told Ginny and me by accident one day. I asked my dad and he told me what they were." She pulled his hand so he was lying next to her again. "I know that's where you're going to go after school."

She paused so long that Harry was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"I'm going with you."

This time he jumped to his feet. "There's no way! You could be killed!"

She sat up and crossed her legs Indian style. "So could you," she said calmly. "I would rather lose my life with you than live it without you."

Harry stared at her, then joined her back on the ground. "Luna, that really means a lot to me, and –"

A shiny silver otter suddenly nudged his leg. His stomach dropped to his knees. Luna finally stood up.

"What does this mean?" she asked.

The otter suddenly spoke, and it was Hermione's hushed whisper. "We're in the ballroom of Malfoy Manor. We desperately need help. We can't do this by ourselves. Bring everyone in the Order that you can get."

"What's going on?" Harry blurted, just as the otter disappeared.

Luna stood and brought out her wand, muttering a quick incantation and murmuring a message. She grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him back into the Burrow. Harry stopped her.

"What just happened?"

"Hermione and Draco need our help. I just sent my Patronus to Bill's house. Let's go!"

********

"I still don't understand why Hermione went to Malfoy Manor instead of coming here for Christmas," Molly was saying. Arthur put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off.

"I've seen her with Draco," Tonks said, "I think they're good together." Lupin looked uncomfortable, but didn't say anything.

"I thought she was good with Ron," Molly said, sounding somewhat defensive.

"Ron was too…" Tonks struggled to find the word, "Familiar for her, I think. She knew him too well. There was no mystery."

Molly just shook her head. "Well, I'm sure you would understand mystery, wouldn't you?" she said to Tonks while nodding at Lupin, who had his gaze fixed on something else. Tonks didn't say anything, but followed Lupin's line of sight. A shiny silver hare was sitting at the doorway.

Molly turned too, and the hare spoke. "We just got a message from Hermione saying she and Draco are in trouble at Malfoy Manor. Ballroom. We're all going. Get together all of the Order that you can."

It disappeared and Molly jumped to her feet.

*********

Luna sprinted into the living room and started talking before anyone knew she had even reentered the house.

She finished out of breath, and everyone just stared at her.

"What?" Lavender asked, rather rudely.

"Hermione is in trouble. Malfoy Manor ballroom. We have to go now," was all Harry said before he grabbed Luna's arm and Disapparated.

********

Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad Eye Moody, Albus Dumbledore, and Minerva McGonagall were all having a drink at the Three Broomsticks when the Patronus came for them too. Dumbledore didn't even wait for it to shimmer and disappear before he stood and walked out of the pub in a flurry of robes. He quickly sent Fawkes to the teachers in the school and Disapparated.

*********

Hermione had just conjured up a shield when another crowd of people Apparated in.

"Well, it seems like a full fledged party that I didn't know we were having," Draco grumbled. Hermione smirked at him and waved at a few of the people who immediately started taking down Death Eaters.

Draco turned to her with an astonished smile on his face. "What did you do?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I called the Order."

He laughed and shot of a flurry of curses at Rodolphus. "You are an incredible witch, you know that Hermione?" She swirled her wand and shot what looked like boiling water at a Death Eater.

"Yeah, I kinda got that eventually."

Draco laughed and Stunned someone. "You are so conceited right now," he called to her. She laughed, adrenaline finally kicking in, and kicked a fallen Death Eater Muggle-style, right in the face.

Harry ran up beside the two of them and yelled "You guys ok?"

Hermione replied that she was, and Draco nodded.

Harry shot off a Stunning spell and fought his way back to Luna.

Hermione turned to shoot a spell when a jet of light hit her square in the back.

"No!"

She fell to the ground in a heap, and everything went black.

She felt like she was sinking in water. She couldn't bring herself to use her body to save herself. She was drowning.

Someone was slapping her.

"Talk to me Hermione," Draco said, cradling her head in his lap

"What?"

"If you fall asleep again, I'm not so sure you're going to wake up."

"I told you that, back when this all started." Her eyes drifted closed, and she wrenched them open again.

"I know."

"How…full circle." Her voice faded pathetically, and Draco felt his tear ducts come back to life.

"Indeed."

Hermione didn't respond. "Hermione, keep talking."

"I think I love you."

"You don't love me. You think you do. You can't love a guy like me."

"You mean honest, compassionate, smart, witty, and annoying? I'm pretty sure I can. No don't interrupt me. I'm talking. You can be obnoxious, prejudiced, snotty, and rude, but I love you. You stand up for what you believe is right, whether it is or not. You stand up for your friends, you fight for your family. You represent your family in a way that they haven't been portrayed for a very long time. You're real. Really annoying. Really amazing. You're handsome, rash, smart, ignorant, and so many other adjectives that I can't quite place right now, but I love you. I love every stupid aristocratic part of you. And this is real. Me laying here in your arms on the verge of death. That's real. That's raw. Kiss me one last time Draco Lucius Malfoy. And make it count. You always had a way of taking my breath. If anyone should have my last one, it should be you."

Malfoy lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her softly, pulling away so he could wipe the tears off his face. When he looked back down at her, her eyes were closed and her breathing had stopped.

A/N: Another cliffhanger!


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Alright, alright, alright, enough freaking out already! I'm sorry I was going to end this fic! I'm sorry Alley, or Potato, or whichever one of you messaged me the other day. You didn't specify, I don't think. But either way, here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Give me Tom Felton or ELSE!

Chapter Fifteen: Battlefield

Hermione Granger felt like she was floating. Maybe she was. She looked around, but saw nothing but white. She tried to look down at herself, assess the damage, and shrieked. There was nothing there. She reached her hands up and touched her face, then ran her hands down her body all the way to her feet. She could feel herself, she just couldn't see herself.

It was freaking her out.

She tried to walk around, maybe find some color, or anything, but found that she couldn't even tell if she was standing or not. She picked up her foot and set it down, but wasn't sure if her foot had found solid ground or not. She could feel nothing but her soul.

*****

Malfoy lowered his head to Hermione's chest, and sobbed, letting his tears leak onto her shirt, ignoring the battle going on around him. He seized both of her hands and held them tight. He begged her to come back to him, he begged anyone to bring her back. He just wanted her back.

He could feel his heart breaking, and thought for a moment that he would rather die than live without her. He let go of one of her hands and ran his fingertips down her smooth cheek, wishing her face wasn't so cold. Suddenly, he straightened, and scooped her into his arms.

He started walking off the battlefield, hoping against hope that no one would shoot a curse at him right now. Harry ran up to his side and looked at Hermione for a second, then back at Draco, who shook his head. Harry's face crumbled, and Draco wondered how his own face looked. If he looked like he was in that much pain.

Because no look of pain could really portray how horrible he really felt. He passed Lupin, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley, and just shook his head as he cried.

He carried the dead body of Hermione Granger all the way to his chambers and laid her on the bed, where she had spent her last summer tending to him. He laid her head on his lap and stroked her tangled hair, refusing to just leave her for dead, even though he knew there was no hope for her.

*****

Hermione felt herself being lifted, and heard someone crying. She wished she could see where she was, or where the crying person was, so she could help. She listened intently and realized with a pang that the person crying was Draco.

Why would Draco be crying?

And she knew. She was…dead. Her hands flew to her throat, where she clenched them and felt no pain. She lowered one hand to her chest and felt no heartbeat. She realized that the rise and fall of her chest was bringing in no air. She wasn't breathing.

Hermione suddenly wished for breath so she could scream. She opened her mouth in a silent scream and started hyperventilating, or her imitation of it, since she wasn't breathing any air. She started hitting herself on the chest, struggling to restart her heart, so she could stop Draco's pain, and see everyone one last time.

And Hermione Granger did the impossible.

She started breathing.

*****

Draco was still crying when he heard it. Just a small sound, but enough to make him hold his breath and hope for a miracle. He stared down at Hermione, hoping with all of his being that she was about to start breathing.

He stared at her for what felt like an eternity, before he finally gave up. He hated himself for having hope. He hated himself for falling in love with her. He knew what would happen. He knew somehow she would be taken from him. But he couldn't help it. She was Hermione Granger, infuriating, annoying, and obnoxious. But he loved her. And all he wanted for the rest of his days was for her to be by his side. He would give up the Manor and all of his inheritance for her, if that would bring her back.

He suddenly vaulted himself over the bed and ran into the bathroom and threw up. He laid on the floor for a long time, hating everyone, but hating himself more.

And he heard someone cough. He ignored it, thinking it was just his imagination. But the coughing got louder, and he plugged his ears, tears falling across the bridge of his nose and onto the marble floor.

And then he heard a small, broken voice call his name. He stood tentatively, and walked slowly into his bedroom, praying. Hermione had her eyes open and she was staring at nothing, crying and coughing, calling his name in nothing more than a whisper. He ran to the bedside and stroked her face.

"Is that really you?" he asked in disbelief. "Are you really alive right now?"

Hermione nodded mutely, and sobbed, and Draco pulled her close to his chest. They stayed like that for a long time, boy and girl clinging to each other like if one loosened their grip, the other would slip away forever.

Finally, Draco pulled away. "Did you see who cursed you?" he asked her. She nodded her head, but didn't specify.

"Hermione Granger, tell me who cursed you!" Malfoy said, grabbing her shoulders.

She whispered a name so quietly that even in the echoing silence of his bedchambers, he couldn't hear.

"What?"

"Lucius."

*****

Harry Potter was flinging curses off his wand like he had never done before. Tears had made streaks down his dirty cheeks and he gasped for breath as he Stunned a masked Death Eater. One of these wretched people had killed one of his best friends. He didn't know which, so he was just going to have to kill all of them.

Malfoy bounded down the steps to his right, and gave Harry a wry smile. "Have you seen my father anywhere?" he asked.

Harry shook his head. "Where did you take Hermione's body?" he asked.

Malfoy gave him a look full of elation and adrenaline. "She's alive, Potter." Harry gaped for a second, and Malfoy let out a maniacal laugh. "She came back to freaking life. I don't know how, but she's in my bedroom. Breathing."

He took a step away from Harry and looked around. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go kill my father."

"What?"

"He's the one that cursed her Potter! I have to kill him!"

Harry just shook his head at Draco as he flew by him. Malfoys were so weird.

******

Lucius Malfoy was winning. He had already taken down one of the Golden Trio and was well on his way to getting a hold of another one. He was shooting curses at Ron from afar, waiting until the right moment to strike.

Suddenly, a dark figure stepped into his line of vision.

"Hello, Father," Draco said, pointing his wand straight at his heart.

Lucius just stared at his son for a second, unsure of whether to attack him or flee. Taking advantage of his hesitation, Draco Disarmed him.

"You really are an insolent little child, you know that?" Lucius said. "Give me my wand!"

Draco twirled it between his fingers and stored it in his robes. "I don't think so."

"Was Hermione Granger really that important to you, son?" Lucius asked. "That you would turn your wand on your own father? That you would give up everything you've always been taught and believed in? That you would sentence yourself to death?"

"Yes. Yes she is," Draco said, raising his wand a little. "Was Hermione Granger really that important that you would try to rape her? That you would impersonate a Weasley? That you would sentence yourself to death, Father?"

"I did no such –"

"Avada Kedavra!"

A/N: Alright, it wasn't that long or that good. Whatever. :P


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